Lisa Black was on her way home from work – she’s a teacher at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital – on a typical October evening when she was struck by a drunk driver.

She was rushed back to the UVA Medical Center, where she underwent several surgeries in the immediate hours following the crash. Black suffered fractures in her neck, back, ribs, hands, legs and knees – among other injuries.

Dr. David Weiss, an orthopedic trauma surgeon, and Dr. Winston Gwathmey, an orthopedic surgeon, were part of Black’s care team. From the start, her doctors asked her what she wanted to accomplish in the weeks and months following her surgery.

Black said she wanted to get back into her classroom and teach again. She also wanted to run, and Gwathmey admits he did not know if that was going to happen, due to the severity of her injuries.

In the years since her accident, Black has undergone many hours of intense surgery. However, she is now back in her classroom and running again.