Yesterday I experienced what NPR refers to as a “driveway moment” – one of those times when you are so engrossed in a story on the radio that you can’t leave your car until the story is finished. While running errands here in Ann Arbor I listened to the story of Emilie Gossiaux as broadcast on the NPR show RadioLab. I was riveted and deeply moved by the story of a 21-year-old artist who is nearly killed when she was hit by a truck while riding her bicycle last fall. I challenge the most hardened person to not tear-up when you hear the recording of Emilie speaking her name for the first time after her accident.
Radio has always been my favorite medium and when it is done well it is poetry incarnate. This story as is beautifully produced and as moving as any I have ever heard. Please take 18 minutes and listen, it is about the power of love, the power of not giving up, and the power of remarkable radio storytelling.
Listen to the story here:
Serendipitously, this morning I saw a post on Facebook from my friend Malika where she noted that her babysitter is a friend of Emilie’s and that her friends are trying to raise $200,000 to help cover the cost of Emilie’s care.
If you head to Emilie’s website you can not only learn more about this remarkable woman, but you can also help support her, either through a direct donation or by purchasing artwork from the Etsy store that features the donated work of many artists.