By Sierra Kondas | Special to The Examiner
High school is a whirlwind of tough lessons that range from teen angst to college readiness courses – but, for Bridge City High School cheerleader Addison Minter, the normal growing pangs of the transition from child to adult has also been coupled with having to relearn motor skills typically undertaken as a toddler.
Minter, whose mastery of limb movement prompted the teen to attend a Houston area tumbling tutorial at the end of 2022, was left without the ability to walk and talk when a traffic accident threatened to curb her cheerleading days indefinitely.
“We had taken Addy to All Star Revolution in Houston for a private stunting lesson because she wants to cheer collegiality,” mom Amy Minter recounted of Nov. 19, 2022, and the car accident that left her daughter fighting for her life in a hospital far from home. “We were on Beltway 8 when we hydroplaned and hit the beltway wall. There was this moment where I thought ‘This isn’t going to be that bad, we are going to be okay.’”
A moment later, a large vehicle traveling 75 mph smashed into the Minters’ car.
“My husband exited the car and approached a car that stopped to check on us,” Amy shared. “The driver let him know it was a charter bus and, 300 feet ahead, the bus was able to stop.”
Addison was life-flighted to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Her parents had non-life- threatening injuries.
“She had a left-temporal skull fracture, which caused a brain shift to the right,” Addison’s mom said. “She also had an epidural bleed, subdural bleed, subarachnoid bleed… Every aspect of her right orbital area was fractured; her right cheekbone was completely fractured; she had a grade one lacerated spleen, and pulmonary contusions.”
Addison spent a little over a week in shock-trauma ICU, then downgraded to intermediate ICU before being transported to TIRR on Dec. 7, 2022, where she stayed for two weeks. TIRR offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care that address the individual needs of each patient who has experienced a life altering injury or illness, Minter explained.
“She spent a total of five weeks in the hospital,” Amy Minter said. “No one expected her to be where she is now given the severity of her injuries. She went through three to five hours of intense therapy each day. Speech, occupational and physical therapy retaught her how to walk, talk, regain balance, impulse control.”
Addison’s frontal lobe injury caused her not to be herself, the teen recalls of some of the severe repercussions resulting from her injuries.
“I would say anything that would come to mind,” Addison said.
“By the time she got to TIRR, she could dress herself and talk,” Amy Minter said. “But, she still had major balance issues and impulse issues that still caused her to hurt herself. In some of her exercises, they would take her to the kitchen to bake something, but her body would move faster than her brain and she would want to stick her hand in a mixer before her brain could warn her that it would be a bad idea.”
Memorial Hermann Hospital is a teaching hospital with numerous resident doctors who, according to Mrs. Minter, told the Minters that Addison would never be normal.
“But, while Addison was in TIRR, she found out that she was nominated for winter formal court at her high school and her therapist took her to shop for a dress so that she could attend the dance. She also went Christmas shopping for her family.”
On Jan. 28, Addison was crowned queen of the winter formal.
“I was in total shock,” Addison said. “I was so happy. I am blessed that, after everything I had been through, I was crowned queen. It felt good.”
Addison went back to school on Jan. 9, resuming her regularly scheduled classes.
“Wanting my life back motivated me to work hard and be home for Christmas with my family,” Addison said. “I wanted to hang out with my family and friends. I would tell my TIRR therapists every day that I better be home for Christmas.”
“Addy cannot participate in tumbling or stunting with her team for a year,” Amy added. “If she were to fall and hit her head now, it would be detrimental. After that, we will revisit the conversation as a family.”
As of today, Addison’s right eye does not have full function due to trauma and swelling.
“She can still see out of it, but her pupil is dilated so she sees double,” Amy Minter said. “She does not have full eye movement. She can look up, down and out but she cannot look inward towards her nose. She is learning how to pose in photos so that her eye is not as noticeable. It gets better every day. It is just a slow-healing process.”
“I just want to say to my parents, thank you for not giving up on me when I was dying,” Addison said. “I want to thank my friends and family for coming to see me, and for the people around the world who had faith in me and prayed for me.”
On Jan. 13, Addison attended the UIL state cheer competition in Fort Worth as a “coach” and supported her team. They won sixth place in the state in Class 4A Division 2.