Truth Beyond Trauma: Finding Purpose in Pain
When Trauma Transforms: Tricia’s Journey from Survival to Purpose
Healing doesn’t happen all at once. For Tricia Thomas, it began with one of the scariest nights of her life—a night that nearly ended it, but instead changed everything.
At 22, Tricia went out to celebrate with friends. The next thing she knew, she woke up disoriented in a car with three strangers, heading the wrong direction. She believes she may have been drugged, but what she remembers most is the fear—and her instinct to pray. She began reciting the Lord’s Prayer, something her mom had taught her as a child. Incredibly, that prayer may have saved her life. The men pulled over and let her out on a highway in the middle of the night.
But her night of survival wasn’t over. Disoriented and trying to find help, Tricia tried to cross the highway—and was hit by a delivery truck going full speed.
Her injuries were severe. She broke bones all over her body, had internal bleeding, and lost her front teeth. Doctors weren’t sure she would walk again. It took over a year before she could work—and even longer to begin healing emotionally.
The physical recovery was hard, but the emotional trauma ran deeper. Tricia has since opened up about living with PTSD and the guilt she carried afterward, wondering if she could have prevented what happened. Through therapy—including EMDR—and deep faith, she’s slowly untangling how trauma stays locked in the body, even years later.
Today, Tricia is a mom raising teenagers. Her experience has shaped how she parents—teaching her kids to trust their instincts, talk openly, and feel their feelings. She encourages them to share what’s going on in their lives without fear or shame.
Tricia’s story is about more than survival—it’s about finding meaning in the aftermath. It’s about how the hardest moments can lead to stronger faith, deeper self-awareness, and more honest relationships.
If you’re navigating trauma, or simply trying to raise emotionally aware kids in a complicated world, Tricia’s journey reminds us of something powerful: healing is possible. Even when the pain is deep, we can rise. And sometimes, what breaks us open is also what helps us grow.
