The 2025 Dirk Derrick Car & Truck Accident Injury Scholarship received over 800 essays from students whose lives have been seriously impacted by an auto accident. Essays came from across the country with students sharing how they have been personally impacted by an accident and how they have overcome the struggles associated with their injuries.
Read the story of our 2025 Dirk Derrick Car & Truck Accident Injury Scholarship Winner, Holly Harrison, below:
(Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers received permission to share Holly's story and photos.)
What was supposed to be a short ride home on June 2, 2023 from a friend turned into, what the police reported, a crash at 107 miles per hour. In an accident like that, none of us four teenagers in the vehicle should still be alive. Miraculously, we all survived. The poor decision of one teenage boy, trying to show off, should have, by most accounts, ended in four funerals. He was driving extremely fast and reckless on a one and a half lane road, missed the curve, then struck farm fencing - knocking down twenty-six posts. The vehicle then went into a creek and overturned. A fence board had come through the vehicle and struck me in the head. 
I was knocked out immediately. I was rushed to the nearest trauma center 45 minutes away. I had suffered an open skull fracture, traumatic brain injury, and a stroke. I had surgery hours later and spent a couple of weeks in the hospital. The neuro-surgeon put wire mesh on the top of my head where part of the skull was missing. Doctors followed a dangerous blood clot in my brain for 6 months. I will probably be on medications for eternity. My life is forever changed.
I had to undergo extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. One of the most difficult emotional aspects of this experience was having my head shaved due to medical procedures. I no longer looked the same. My long hair was gone. Once I was able to go to school, I had to wear a turban for many months while my head healed. I got many strange looks and comments from fellow students and even teachers. One teacher, who evidently had not heard about the car accident, asked me if I was a fortune teller. Emotionally, this took a toll. My memory was not the same. My emotions were different. I wasn't sure I would ever be the old me after this. It tested my strength and self-esteem, but it eventually became a turning point in my life. I kept fighting. I kept my head up. I did everything to the best of my ability. I leaned on my faith to make it through. Through sheer determination and the support of my loved ones, I gradually regained my strength and health.
Soccer has been my passion since the age of three. The doctors told me I would not be able to play again. I had two years of high school left and this left me crushed. It was very painful to watch my teammates compete without me. My high school classes had to be changed due to inability to concentrate and focus. I missed out on scholarship money due to my GPA dropping after the car accident.
I am now on a mission to make a positive impact on the world. I am currently enrolled in my freshman year of college on the path to becoming a registered nurse. I have been shaped by these personal experiences that have tested my resilience. I believe with these experiences, I can make a significant positive impact on individual lives. The nurses present during my time of vulnerability, offered solace and advocated for me.
As I continue my journey in nursing, I plan to use my experience to make a positive impact on the lives of my patients. I understand firsthand the challenges that come with serious medical conditions, and I am committed to providing compassionate and empathetic care. My goal is to support my patients not only physically but also emotionally, helping them navigate their own journeys to recovery.
For more information about the Dirk Derrick Car & Truck Accident Injury Scholarship, please see www.derricklawfirm.com/scholarship.