Brianne was in my ward growing up. Our little sisters had a love/hate relationship :) They were either best friends or #1 enemies. Girls are so funny! Newayz, she's a fighter and she's doing remarkable well!!! Keep up the good work Brianne! We love you and are praying for you!!!
Brianne is doing better and better. The brain surgeon gave his final prognosis that she is 100% coherent and okay concerning brain function. This is huge. She is doing better and better with her movement in the body. Something about Brianne that is extraordinary is that she is SO DETERMINED in everything she does. She will OVERCOME! I believe in her and you believe in her. Every Doctor is so impressed with her progress. Weeks of progress in a few days. She needs your prayers and continued love. Thank you! (Eric Nay)
April 15, 2009
SUU student in critical condition
BY JENNIFER WEAVER
Southern Utah University student Eric Nay hasn't left the side of his fiance, Brianne Perkins, who is in critical condition at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.The couple were involved in an accident Easter morning on Interstate 70 near Richfield when attempting to help an elderly couple who had flipped their vehicle in heavy snow conditions. A second vehicle, also driven by a SUU student, hydroplaned and over-corrected, slamming into Perkins.The 21-year-old, SUU criminal justice student suffered liver damage, several broken bones and crushed vertebrae in her neck and back. She is in critical condition, but breathing on her own and coherent."She is struggling for her life," Nay said. "It's just not fair."Nay, age 23, said he met Perkins on the SUU trial team competing at Yale Law School representing the Thunderbirds. They've been dating for 18 months and plan to wed June 18, after both graduating summa cum laude, May 2, he said. Both have been accepted to law school and intend to pursue careers together in the field. SUU associate professor of criminal justice and the couple's trial team coach, Carl Franklin, said he's witnessed the pair grow and evolve and is hopeful for their future."Not only am I optimistic, but I'm confident that she is the kind of person that can pull through," Franklin said. "I've watched her grow as an individual, and watched her face adversity and challenge and succeed. I know, based on the person I know, that she has the mental and emotional fortitude to overcome."Add a generous heart to that list, Nay said, which prompted the Boulder City, Nev., native to leave the safety of the vehicle she was in to help someone else in need."What happened was my fiance and I were driving from Cove Fort to Richfield and I could see a mile in front of me a car flip about four to five times and roll over, and an elderly man crawled out and was bleeding from his hand," Nay said. "He was waving and trying to stand to get our help and so I pulled way off the side of the road and went to where he rolled over his car and grabbed my coat and told Brianne to stay in the car."Nay said he turned on his emergency lights and attended to the elderly man who was screaming and in shock because his wife was injured with a pinned leg in the car door and bleeding profusely from her neck. The hands-free virtual adviser OnStar operator called the Florida couple's vehicle and Nay relayed the location of the accident and the need for extrication. As Nay finished relaying the information, he attempted to help the elderly woman and calm her down when he looked up to see Perkins grab her coat, exit their vehicle and head towards the man to offer assistance. It was that instant that Perkins was run down."When she got out to help, another car lost control because the driver was going too fast for the weather conditions and hit her," said Utah Highway Patrol public information officer Cameron Roden.Roden did not have the name of the SUU driver and said the elderly couple did receive minor injuries, but nothing life-threatening.Perkins was not as fortunate. The bones broken in her neck are C1-C3, C6 and C7, which typically result in paralysis of all the functions of the body below the neck.Despite the unknown prognosis, Nay doesn't want his fiance to be perceived as a victim. He only wants people to know the characteristics about her that he fell in love with, he said."She doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Nay said. "She is a sweetheart and kind and serves other people because it makes her feel satisfied inside. She is incredibly intelligent and the smartest girl I have ever met."Perkins was able to move her right leg on Monday, in addition to moving her left foot. Her right hand is moving and she can move fingers on command. However, her left and right arms have yet to move, but she has feeling in them, Nay said."It is too early to tell, but her progress is amazing," he added.Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett said Perkins is an intern at his office and that he will deliver flowers to her today with well wishes from his staff."Brianne had all these big things going on in her life - college graduation, about to be married - and it's just devastating and a tragedy that this has happened to her just as so many important things are happening in her life. We hope and pray for the best for her, and her family, and fiance. I believe that if anybody can pull through it, she can," Garrett said. "She's a wonderful person. We enjoyed having her around; she's fun. I hope she can get back to pursuing her dreams."
