On With Life Patient Shares Stories of Miracles and Heroes

In December of 2008, Lizz Cassler was completing her senior year at SE Polk High School, she planned to become a physical therapist and had earned a soccer scholarship from the University of Northern Iowa.

Lizz, then 17, allowed a friend to drive her home from South East Polk High School Dec. 3, 2008. The roads weren't great and she was afraid to drive. On the way home the car she was in smacked into a pickup pushing a plow and she took the brunt of the blow.

“I died,” Lizz said recounting the story at On With Life, a treatment center that specializes in brain injury rehabilitation. “I quit breathing. My heart stopped for 30 seconds.”

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Lizz, now 21, and her mother Barb Cassler, of Altoona, were selected as the honorary co-chairs of On With Life's 7th Annual Golf Outing and Silent Auction at Otter Creek Golf Course. The fundraiser helps the Ankeny center purchase equipment used in physical therapy. Lizz and Barb plan to share their On With Life experience at the outing which begins 11 a.m. Thursday.

“You have to hang onto belief that there is always hope for people with brain injuries,” Barb said.

Immediately after Lizz's accident, doctors told Lizz's parents she had been severely injured and they didn't know if she would live.

He lung had collapsed, and her skull, ribs and clavicle had been fractured and she had an internal brain injury.

“They had the death certificate in her room ready to be signed with the time,” Barb said.

Lizz was in a coma for two months and remained in the hospital for a total of four months. Doctors told Barb that her daughter wouldn't improve much.

“She woke up very slowly,” Barb said.

When she was released from the Des Moines Methodist Hospital, Lizz couldn't feed herself, said few words and the limbs on the left side of her body were frozen at odd angles due to autonomic tone caused by the brain injury,

That was before coming to On With Life in April of 2009.

“This building is full of miracles and heroes,” Barb said.

The first thing an On With Life therapist did was hand Lizz a fork. They taught her to feed herself, shower, dress herself, make her bed, put her contacts in and cook, Lizz said.

“I had to learn how to think again,” Lizz said.

She was released from the center in August 2009 and continued services on an outpatient for 18 more months.

They worked to help Lizz meet goals set for every person served and Lizz's personal goals as well.

“I told them I wanted to run out of the building and they made it happen,” Lizz said.

As Lizz progressed they took her back to SE Polk High School and met with teachers and friends to educate them about how Lizz had changed. She continued therapy after graduating and enrolled in classes at DMACC.

Lizz hopes to become a personal trainer.

“It takes a lot to do what we have all done,” Lizz said of herself and other On With Life patients. “I think (the staff) are angels on earth.”

How to Help

Register for the On With Life Golf Tournament or bid on silent auctions items.