Student recovers from car crash

Senior reaccounts crash and road to recovery

Student+recovers+from+car+crash

Sarah Grier, Assistant Online Editor

On June 3, Nicole Pigatto ‘17 raced to catch the 12:05 train for a day at the beach, two lanes of traffic stopped at the intersection of Spring and 47th for her and two friends to cross. In the lane closest to her, a car obstructed by a large tree went around a stopped car, flying through the intersection and hitting her. This caused her left side to crash into the windshield and caused her to roll out onto the street breaking both collarbones, her thumb and leaving severe road burns.

“The last thing I remember was leaving my house and coming out of the driveway but I know we were running,” Pigatto said. “The rest is a blur my brain left out as a way to shield me from the pain of it all.”

After the car hit Pigatto, her two friends with her, Clare Cooley ‘17 and Kylee Leyden ‘17 were frantic, as they looked for signs of life in their unconscious friend. Luckily, a mother of a senior at LT, Clare Groya, was driving one of the stopped cars and immediately took control of the situation.

“I had this little mom instinct that was like ‘Oh I think that they’re going to try to run across,’” Groya said.

Cooley and Leyden were unable to fit into the ambulance with Pigatto so Groya drove the girls to Lagrange Hospital.

“She just offered a mother’s love and comfort as we were sitting traumatized and crying,” Leyden said. “Later she just kept texting and making sure we were all okay and met up with all of us for lunch. Overall she was just a kind-hearted stranger who proved how impactful someone can be.”

After getting the all clear from Lagrange, Pigatto was transferred to Loyola hospital to the pediatrics floor. However, as this transition was happening, Pigatto’s parents were five hours away in Ohio, dropping off her older brother at freshman orientation. When they heard the news, Pigatto’s mother’s heart plummeted and raced to get to the hospital unaware of Pigatto’s condition.

“I remember my mom coming in sobbing and putting her head in my lap and I kept saying to her ‘I’m okay mom, I’m okay,’” Pigatto said.

Pigatto` was fortunate enough that her collarbones did not require surgery; however she was unable to lift her arms off her body for the next two weeks. Thankfully, she had a lot of support during her time of recovery.

“The entire neighborhood was very supportive because I got so many cards from neighbors who heard,” Pigatto said. “My friends did so much for me and visited me almost everyday when I was at the hospital, and the weeks that followed when I was at home.”

Although the accident was traumatic for Pigatto and her friends, the adversity brought the three closer than they had been before.

“When you feed someone, help them change, and scratch their itches, you become close on a new level,” Cooley said. “She’s one of the most determined and competitive people I know. Her recovery was a difficult battle that put all these traits to the test, but in the end she definitely won.”

Pigatto learned how important it is to never take life for granted.

“People are always in a hurry to get somewhere and now I don’t see the need to be in a hurry,” Pigatto said. “I now would’ve rather walked there and been walking on the beach two hours later rather than getting hit by a car and it taking away my entire summer.”