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10-30-2003, 08:03 AM
Teen injured in crash
By J. Eric Eckard, Rocky Mount Telegram
Hannah Barker is described as "feisty" and "determined."
After a Monday traffic accident left her with a severe spinal cord injury, she'll need all the determination she can muster to recover.
"Hannah is a spunky kid," said Theo Coonrod, head of school and president of Saint Mary's School in Raleigh. "She's a leader, and she's very important to us."
Barker, 17, is a senior at Saint Mary's, an all-girls college preparatory boarding and day school. Her father lives in Rocky Mount, and her mother lives in Raleigh.
She was on her way to Rocky Mount to visit friends during the school's Fall Break when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed on U.S. 64 near Nashville.
The vehicle ran off the right side of the road, struck a highway sign and overturned, an N.C. Highway Patrol spokeswoman said. Barker, who was not wearing her seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle. Investigators said her vehicle was traveling at an excessive speed when the accident occurred.
Now, she's in Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville in serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
"It was like I was kicked in the gut," Coonrod said of hearing about the accident. "It's tragic for all of us.
"We're grateful that Hannah is alive, but we're heartsick at what she's going to have to go through - all the rehab. Her whole life changed in a second."
Barker was returning from a visit to The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and Coonrod said, she was "highly encouraged" with her visit. Barker also has applied to N.C. State, College of Charleston, Clemson, Mississippi and UNC-Wilmington.
"This has been extraordinarily difficult for her friends," Coonrod said. "This is a small school - we have 230 students."
Barker, who lives in a dorm on campus, is a prefect, providing support to the younger students. She enrolled at Saint Mary's a year ago as a high school junior, and is active in student government. She also served as a counselor at Camp Seafarer, a summer camp in New Bern.
After news of the accident spread to Saint Mary's, the school held a prayer service at the chapel. Another service was dedicated to Barker on Tuesday.
The school also has established an account for donations to help Barker and her family through the recovery process. Anyone interested in making donations can send checks to Saint Mary's School-Hannah's Fund, 900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603.
"We all feel rather helpless," Coonrod said. "It's important for people to do something at a time like this.
"While she's in the hospital, this is something we can do while we wait."
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By J. Eric Eckard, Rocky Mount Telegram
Hannah Barker is described as "feisty" and "determined."
After a Monday traffic accident left her with a severe spinal cord injury, she'll need all the determination she can muster to recover.
"Hannah is a spunky kid," said Theo Coonrod, head of school and president of Saint Mary's School in Raleigh. "She's a leader, and she's very important to us."
Barker, 17, is a senior at Saint Mary's, an all-girls college preparatory boarding and day school. Her father lives in Rocky Mount, and her mother lives in Raleigh.
She was on her way to Rocky Mount to visit friends during the school's Fall Break when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed on U.S. 64 near Nashville.
The vehicle ran off the right side of the road, struck a highway sign and overturned, an N.C. Highway Patrol spokeswoman said. Barker, who was not wearing her seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle. Investigators said her vehicle was traveling at an excessive speed when the accident occurred.
Now, she's in Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville in serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
"It was like I was kicked in the gut," Coonrod said of hearing about the accident. "It's tragic for all of us.
"We're grateful that Hannah is alive, but we're heartsick at what she's going to have to go through - all the rehab. Her whole life changed in a second."
Barker was returning from a visit to The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and Coonrod said, she was "highly encouraged" with her visit. Barker also has applied to N.C. State, College of Charleston, Clemson, Mississippi and UNC-Wilmington.
"This has been extraordinarily difficult for her friends," Coonrod said. "This is a small school - we have 230 students."
Barker, who lives in a dorm on campus, is a prefect, providing support to the younger students. She enrolled at Saint Mary's a year ago as a high school junior, and is active in student government. She also served as a counselor at Camp Seafarer, a summer camp in New Bern.
After news of the accident spread to Saint Mary's, the school held a prayer service at the chapel. Another service was dedicated to Barker on Tuesday.
The school also has established an account for donations to help Barker and her family through the recovery process. Anyone interested in making donations can send checks to Saint Mary's School-Hannah's Fund, 900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603.
"We all feel rather helpless," Coonrod said. "It's important for people to do something at a time like this.
"While she's in the hospital, this is something we can do while we wait."
Email this page to a friend