| I was
a little unsure about
calling Tara Berendes
to request an
interview. Having been
in a car accident nine
months earlier that
put her in a coma for
weeks and left her
face burned, she could
have been sensitive
about the issue. But
her story is worth
telling, so I made the
call.
"Sure, but it'll
cost you $3,000," the
now-21-year-old
jokingly said with a
laugh. "I figure with
all of this publicity,
I might as well get
something out of the
deal."
A few weeks later,
Berendes and her
husband Josh, whom she
had married just 10
days before the
accident, are sitting
at a picnic table in
Bachman Park talking
about how their lives
have changed since
June 1, 2004. Tara is
bubbly and
quick-witted. Josh,
though a bit quieter
than his outgoing
wife, is obviously
much more relaxed than
the last time we
spoke, about seven
weeks after the crash.
The accident
occurred in Utah as
they were returning to
their new home in
Colorado after a
honeymoon at Walt
Disney World in
Florida. An oncoming
vehicle jumped the
freeway median and
smashed head-on into
the Berendes' car. The
driver of the other
vehicle was killed.
Josh had a few
minor injuries, but
Tara suffered burns,
cuts, internal
injuries and brain
damage. She quickly
showed signs of
improvement, though,
and emerged from her
comatose state within
two months.
Now, the couple is
living in a cottage in
the same Monte Sereno
backyard where they
married. Even being so
close to the spot
where it happened
isn't enough for Tara
to remember her May 22
wedding.
"It's weird looking
at the wedding
pictures and watching
the video," she says.
"I know I got married
because I'm in it, but
I just don't remember
a single thing about
it."
Some things return
to her with a little
prompting, she says.
Listening to the song
played during the
couple's first dance
triggered a memory of
that moment. Friends
described a mime
taunting her at her
Walt Disney World
bachelorette party and
she suddenly
remembered standing in
front of a specific
ride at the time. But
the bulk of her
memories from the few
months leading up to
the crash are lost.
Her burns and scars
are healing and she
has returned to
working at Great Bear
Coffee and Los Osos
Café, where she worked
several years ago
before moving to
Colorado to finish
college.
She graduated from
Colorado Christian
University on May 5 of
last year but doesn't
remember that, either.
Still, the
newlyweds aren't angry
about what happened.
They're just thankful
that they survived and
that Tara was able to
make as much of a
recovery as she has.
"Just thinking back
to where she could be
to where she is, the
difference ... is like
night and day," Josh
says of his wife's
progress. "Other than
just seeing some scars
and stuff, it's hard
to even tell that she
went through
everything."
The Berendeses
attribute the positive
outcome to their
Christian faith. They
met at Calvary Church
in Los Gatos, and Josh
was going to be a
youth pastor in
Colorado before their
plans were derailed.
"It's such a story
of prayer, because we
had people all over
the country praying,
and all over the
world, too," Tara
says.
Thousands of
well-wishers sent
emails, cards and even
money. They checked a
website set up by
Tara's father, John
Eichinger, for updates
on her condition.
"We're just a
little overwhelmed
that people [gave] so
much of themselves,"
Josh says.
While Tara's Medi-Cal
insurance eventually
picked up the tab for
her mounting Utah
hospital bills--her
subsequent treatment
at Silicon Valley
Medical Center was
covered--the couple
was assured that the
donations received
would certainly help
pay for other expenses
incurred as a result
of the accident.
The young couple is
now thinking about the
future again and
taking some time to
readjust plans. Tara
hopes to start
coursework for a
master's degree in
social work this fall.
Before that, they plan
to fly back to
Colorado so she can
once again walk in a
graduation ceremony,
as well as to Utah,
where they wish to
thank the doctors who
treated Tara there and
meet with the family
of the man who died in
the accident. They
also want to have
another wedding
ceremony, which Tara
says justifies another
honeymoon, too.
Mostly, though,
they're just enjoying
being alive.
"It's enough right
now just to kind of
get up and take care
of the things we can,"
Josh says.
|
