'I've cried for him'

Local woman recovers after alleged drunken driver sends her to hospital with life-threatening injuries

It took eight people to move Nancy Hund safely when she was first hospitalized more than two months ago.

By the time she first came to the nursing home for rehabilitation, only six people were needed to keep her stabilized. As of last week, she's able to shift from her bed to a padded wheelchair with assistance from two strong helpers.

"It's a funny way to gauge progress," the 47-year-old admitted.

An outgoing woman, who has been active with Boy and Girl Scouts and the Parent Teacher Organization at Grand Prairie Elementary School where she is employed as the assistant principal's secretary, Hund said rather than receiving attention herself, she's more likely to be taking care of other people like her husband, Dave, and their children Matt, 16; Brad, 14; and Katie, 11.

"I've missed two of their birthdays (being hospitalized). Everybody tells me I'm lucky because I'm still alive and won't miss them all, but it's still hard," she said. "I shouldn't be missing these things."

On Aug. 23, Hund and a friend went bike riding in Joliet. Around 10:15 p.m. the riders, whose bicycles had lights on the front, were headed west on Black Road when they moved into the east curb lane to turn onto Brentwood Drive.

"My friend was in front and he yelled for me to jump, but I didn't hear him," Hund remembered. "I saw the (vehicle) coming at me. I couldn't move. I thought I'm gonna get hit and I remember my face going in the windshield."

Hund had been struck by a 2005 Jeep Liberty driven by Zachary L. Smith, 26, of Joliet, and was next aware of people running around as she lay on the pavement.

"I remember feeling my body was all broken. I knew lots of stuff was wrong. I opened my eyes and thought my leg was cut off," she said.

The collision left Hund with compound fractures to both wrists, a dislocated left shoulder and broken forearm, broken ribs, broken sinus bones, scrapes, cuts and bruises throughout her body and a "smashed" left knee.

"Everything in there is in pieces," she said. "The bones weren't together and leg was torn open. (Surgeons) found a chunk of plastic from the car inside the knee."

Hund remembers screaming from the pain in her leg when paramedics moved her onto the backboard to be transported to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center where she was rushed into the operating room with "life-threatening injuries."

"(The staff) kept getting my name wrong," Hund laughed. "I kept yelling 'It's not Lund ... Hund ... H.'"

Her husband and children were driving back from a cabin trip and were still an hour away when they learned of Nancy's accident.

"Dave rushed to the hospital and the kids just held each other on the couch," she said.

With metal being used to immobilize Hund's leg, it wasn't until a few weeks later, doctors could perform an MRI to confirm her "good" right leg was also broken in the collision.

As Hund was taken to the hospital, Smith was arrested on charges of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and operating a motor vehicle with expired registration. Evidence reports indicate glass bottles containing vodka and Bloody Mary mix were found inside his vehicle.

The day after the accident, police Chief Fred Hayes said tests showed Smith's blood alcohol content was 0.19 percent, more than twice the legal limit.

"I have no time to hate him for what happened. I don't have the energy," Hund said. "I remember looking up and saw him looking at me. I know it shouldn't have happened. Accidents definitely happen, but alcohol and carelessness were responsible (here). I hope he realizes what he's done."

"I'm not even mad. I can't do anything about how (the legal system) deals with what he did," she continued. "But after that he still has to deal with the fact he's going to have to live with this one choice he wishes he never made to get in the car and drive. I've cried for him. You feel for someone else who has to regret what they've done."

Hund feels the support of family, friends and people she's never met have strengthened her own resolve to recover from her injuries.

"So many people helped the kids get ready for school. Everyone just pulled together. Neighbors signed up to make dinners and they had 'Hund Meals on Wheels' for a month," she said.

Friends also made donations and organized a spaghetti dinner to benefit the family. "I worked full time, so there's the loss of that income. (As problems go) money is most of it and the least of it," she said.

Different Grand Prairie classes have sent gifts made by the students each week. Several church groups have included her in prayers.

"This is hard. I've had ups and downs but I won't give up," she said. "The first time I could lift my leg a few inches off the bed made me so happy."

Hund will have to undergo a lot of therapy toward her goal of being able to walk again, but she's taken satisfaction with each thing she's able to do again, like figuring out a way to brush her own teeth.

"I've become very innovative," she chuckled while demonstrating how a small backscratcher could be used to grab the garbage can or light cord near her bed.

Hund believes there are several messages God wanted to get out to people through what happened to her, including not taking life for granted because it can change so quickly.

"Everybody can take something from this. The simple message that isn't so simple, is don't drink and drive. Be responsible," she said.

As for the message Nancy Hund herself has taken from her ordeal.

"I'm going to have a lot of scars, but I'm still the same person. I take ... I don't know ... comfort or acceptance from that," she said. "I'm glad I'm here and I'm glad no one had to learn a harder lesson by losing me."