Many of our readers may recall a horror accident that almost ended the life of a brilliant 18-year-old student from Orange in 2010.

Amelia White had completed her HSC at James Sheahan Catholic High School, and was eagerly embracing university life at CSU, when an errant driver crossed to the wrong side of the road and ran into her car.

Now living in Germany where she has just completed her seventh law degree and also added a second Masters to her qualifications; she works in Corporate law throughout Europe.

More amazingly, the youngster who implored her parents to move from Sydney to Orange so “she could get a horse”, now competes for Australia in Paralympic Dressage and other Grand Prix and a variety of equestrian carnivals in Germany and across the continent.

Amelia’s amazing story touched me like no other when I first met her via You Tube in Germany when she had returned from Tokyo four years ago.

She is now back home visiting her mum and dad in Sydney and her “rock”, her grandmother who still lives on a farm near Orange.

“I love the heat, the fresh air and the unbelievable spirit of the west so coming home is like coming back to life,” Ameila said.

Amelia says that it was her school friends, the parish, and the riders around the west who sustained her during a pain-filled and lengthy recuperation. She outlined the initial injuries that threatened her life and caused her to rethink her future.

“My left leg was severed at the mid-calf, I had broken feet, my lower legs were crushed, both my knees were almost irreparably damaged, broken femur, collarbone, wrists and I had to live in hospitals for months,” she recalled.

“In and out of life-support, I had to use a wheelchair, and then too many surgeries to repair bones, ligaments, and internal organs that had been badly-impacted in the crash.”

Amelia had nerves that need to be treated and in some cases, steadily regrew but it didn’t end there.

“In 2014, four years post-accident, I was back riding and was bucked off my young horse and had quite severe back pain.

“The surgeon looked at my scans and told me I had fractured my spine in six places,” she said.

The spinal surgeon took one look and told Amelia the fractures were quite old.

“They look like you’ve had a significant trauma years ago, something akin to a head-on collision!” hew told her.

The surgeon’s opinion was these injuries had indeed occurred in the car accident and just not been found when she was in hospital.

Amelia says to this day, despite several opinions, the specialists are still not sure if the spinal fractures occurred on that fateful day in 2010 or if they were from the fall from her horse. Either way, she now has six compression fractures in her spine.

Would she change anything?

“Obviously the pain management and hard work in physio took their toll initially, but it made me stronger. I had to reassess everything but in simple terms, ‘No!’

“I have now ridden at the Paralympics in green-and-gold; I’m travelling through Europe; I’m able to pass on my skills to others overseas and here at home.”

Like Dubbo’s Molly Croft, Amelia looks at everyday as sunshine drawing her to a new challenge.

Goals?

“Next Paralympics and then again in 2028 but my real aim is to compete with other Aussies in a home Games in Brisbane in 2032!”

Amazing, inspiring, and totally dedicated to being the best she can be in every aspect of life. Amelia White, thank you for sharing your story with Dubbo Photo News.