Woman realizes strength following North crash; family, service dog recovering

Apr. 17—It's been a year of ups and downs since Kelli Smith survived a crash in North.

"I'm realizing this year how much stronger I am than ever," she said. "I even realize how much more resilient, patient and understanding the people are around me."

Since the April 14, 2021 crash, Smith and her husband, Mark, are thankful for each day of steady improvements.

Smith said one of the main changes since the crash is that 7-year-old Buzz, her service dog, has retired from his duties and Bailey has now been "hired" for the job.

"Buzz is keeping a watchful eye to make sure he's doing it just right," Smith said about 9-month-old Bailey, an Australian Labradoodle.

Even though Bailey is still training for his service responsibilities, Buzz remains the celebrity, Smith said.

"It's really nice to see that people genuinely care," she said.

When the crash occurred, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 321 and U.S. Highway 178, Buzz was either ejected from the shattered rear window or jumped from it — Buzz isn't telling anyone exactly how he did it.

For nearly six weeks, the Lab mix wandered the North area.

Smith's husband made several trips from their Summerville-area home to North to look for Buzz.

Her husband also took to social media to ask for help from anyone who may have spotted Buzz.

The residents of North got the word out, too. They put up flyers and spread the word on social media.

On May 24, 2021, the Smiths received a call that moved them to tears of joy. Buzz's microchip company called, telling them that he was at the Orangeburg County Animal Shelter.

Buzz hadn't had his daily thyroid medication for nearly two months and he had lost weight — but he'd survived.

Buzz was glad to be home.

"He's back on the medication, but could never quite catch up to it," Smith said of Buzz's recovery.

Smith said Buzz suffered some soft tissue hip and leg issues from the crash, but thankfully he didn't have any fractures.

"He wants to help, but he physically can't do it," Smith said.

Buzz can no longer ride in vehicles either.

Smith said Buzz wasn't a fan of car-riding prior to the crash, but since then, he's suffered with anxiety.

"The anxiety and panic attacks that happen, it's unbearable to watch," Smith said.

Smith said Bailey and Buzz are good companions for each other.

Smith says she's made progress in her recovery over the past year.

Prior to the crash, Smith developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome after contracting COVID-19 in the fall of 2020.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes a person's immune system to mistakenly attack part of its peripheral nervous system, according to the National Institution of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Smith led a physically active life before developing the syndrome, she said. Then the Guillain-Barre Syndrome challenged her mobility and she frequently used a wheelchair.

She wonders if she would have improved more quickly if she hadn't been injured in the crash.

At one point, she thought she might never walk again, but she pressed on with physical therapy.

"I've been trying to find the new normal," she said.

The crash left her with a broken clavicle that required surgery to repair.

"The clavicle they put together has so much hardware in it — it looks like an Erector set," she said.

She has a scar from her clavicle to breastbone, she added.

Smith also suffered a head injury and concussion in the crash which affected her vision and hearing.

Not all of Smith's scars are visible.

Although she has no recollection of the crash itself, she is now dealing with post-traumatic stress, she said.

"It's in here," she said, pointing to her head. "It's just not at the forefront. Obviously, my body knows about it. I just don't have any cognitive memories" of the crash.

Smith said her daughter often tells her, "Hunt for the good." And Smith does.

The past year taught Smith lessons in pushing through challenges.

Those lessons include:

—"Hold tight to your faith. Embrace it and let it help you through it."

—"Don't beat yourself up and don't be so hard on yourself."

—"Perfection is an illusion. If your appearance has changed, whatever your scars are, whatever your battle wounds are, that means you came, you fought and you're still here."

Smith said she, "Constantly has pep talks with herself."

She also finds strength in prayers.

A 35-year-old Gaston man is facing two counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury as a result of the crash.

The North Police Department charged Lamar Mack, of 847 Old Scout Court, on Sept. 20, 2021. He was released on bond.

North Police Chief Lin Shirer alleges Mack was driving a black Chevrolet Impala about 25 mph over the posted speed limit when it disregarded a red traffic light and collided with the Smith's Volvo SUV.

Smith said her husband pulled Mack from the Impala after he heard him screaming.

This past March 2, Mack was taken into custody in Lexington County on charges of first-offense distribution of cocaine base and first-offense distribution of narcotics. He's currently out on bond for those charges too.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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