December 23, 2008, my life drastically changed. In the *literal* blink of an eye, my life was almost taken from me.

I was leaving work early that night and walked out of the office, header for my car and BOOM. 💥 A stray dog ran up to me, pounced on my chest and begun attacking me. As I thought I could outrun this dog and make it to my car, it grabbed a hold onto my right foot and locked its jaw. I was in the middle of a dark, desolate parking lot by myself screaming for help. As this dog proceeded to drag me (I stayed upright and was hopping on my left leg) through the parking lot I was eventually able to lean onto the back of a car while I continued to scream, cry, panic and fear that this was how I was going to die.

I had just turned 21. At the time, I was 2 years sober of a substance abuse addiction. What helped keep me clean and cope with my stressors was a routine I developed of yoga DVD’s and running 8 miles a day on my treadmill at home. I’d battled with depression and panic attacks prior to this and as some of you may (or may not) know, I was sexually assaulted as a child and teenager. I felt like my life was robbed of joy since childhood and I never really understood my purpose of living. I would do things purposely that I knew would harm my body because I hated it so much for what it’d put me through. And here I was, face to face with fighting for my life. And I fought. I held onto the back of that car and felt the most unbearable, excruciating pain I’ve ever experienced which lasted about 6 minutes.

I was rescued. I couldn’t believe that my foot was still attached to my body with the pressure from the dog gripping onto my entire foot. A pair of Ugg boots saved me since it’s bottom teeth were stuck in the thick rubber sole of my boot. I was rushed to the trauma unit and saw tendons hanging out of my foot, limp toes, chewed apart skin and was given an epidural to go through surgery to repair what they could.

While on the table, I remember the surgeon (a godsend) talking about how he was home making Stromboli’s with his family when he got the call he needed to perform surgery. I recalled asking him when I would be able to do yoga or run again. He actually laughed at me and said “not for a long while”.

I stayed in the hospital for 6 days, followed by 3 months of bed rest. Every single day was a struggle but there was nothing I looked forward to more than the day I was able to go for a jog, which was as soon as I was able to walk again that March.

Fitness SAVED my life time and time again. It saved me when I fought addiction. Saved me when I needed the endorphin boost after being chronically depressed. Saved me when I needed the core strength and stability to balance and hop on my less-dominant leg through a parking lot with a dog dragging me through it by my foot. It also saved me from working a job I hated when I became a spin instructor.

It really sucked to feel weak and helpless for that short period that felt like eternity when I was immobile. But I was DETERMINED to fight for what saved me and never EVER stopped since then to keep myself strong and ready for the fight called life which we never know where it will take us.

If it wasn’t for this day, I would’ve never looked for a low impact spin class in 2010. I would have never became an instructor and I wouldn’t have been able to help strengthen and tough other people’s lives through movement if I didn’t experience that. Call me crazy, but I’d go through it all again. Appreciate what your body and your mind can do – pain is temporary but strength is your power.