However, less than two months after the accident, Darcy defied all odds. She made a full recovery and was able to reenroll at Ball State to finish her senior year. Though her injuries had caused her to devastatingly lose all memory of her college education, she would not let that stop her from putting in the effort to keep living her life to the fullest.
Darcy notes that her recovery was not typical; her nurses even called her the “Miracle Child.” She remarked that “those with brain injuries may be in the same ocean, but we are not in the same boat.” Darcy often refers to those living with brain injuries as “snowflakes,” as each condition is dramatically different from the other. She wants others to know that brain injuries can happen to anyone at any time and at any age, saying that “injury doesn’t discriminate.” There is very little information available on traumatic brain injuries, so Darcy hopes to use her platform to educate others on how brain injuries can impact someone both mentally and physically. She hopes to help other brain injury survivors know that they can overcome adversity and they deserve the best quality of life possible.
Darcy Keith will be the keynote speaker at the 2022 Disability Awareness Month Kick-Off Event on Tuesday, March 1 in the Fishers City Hall Auditorium (1 Municipal Drive) from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m., where she will share her personal story. The annual Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Awards will also be presented at the event. Registration is not required for this free event.
The month-long celebration, hosted by the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability and presented by Old National Bank, will feature a series of special events and initiatives throughout the city. This year’s theme, Achieving More Together, will include partners from around Hamilton County to champion disability inclusion in Fishers and beyond. The 2022 lineup includes events hosted by the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability and community partners such as PRISM Project of Fishers, Hamilton East Public Library, OneZone Chamber of Commerce, Fishers Music Works, Fishers Parks, and more.
Learn how you can be an ally for disability inclusion and show your support for this initiative with our digital toolkit, Ally kits, and language guide! For the event lineup and more info, visit the Fishers website.
FAVORITE FISHERS PARK: Brooks School Park for its ADA-compliant and adaptive playground equipment.
FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A SATURDAY: Spending quality time with her husband, whether they are shopping, eating out, or just relaxing!
Ally Marshall is a previous Public Relations and Community Engagement intern for the City of Fishers. She was born in Indianapolis and moved to Fishers in 2010. She will be graduating from Indiana University with degrees in Anthropology & Theatre, a minor in Arts Management, and will also be an alumni of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. When Ally isn’t at City Hall or studying, she loves to watch movies, listen to music, spend time with her family and her crazy dogs, and try new international restaurants around town (her favorite is Bento Cafe)! She is so excited to be back in Fishers and work alongside such an innovative and vibrant city. You can follow Ally on Instagram or LinkedIn.