Amanda Edwards

Amanda Edwards, formerly Amanda Arthur, was born and raised in Newport Beach, California. The youngest of four children, she grew up highly involved in sports and activities. She attended Newport Harbor High School, where she was cheerleading captain when a major car accident changed her life forever.

Nine high school students were packed into a raised Chevy Blazer driving down Irvine Avenue when an accident caused the vehicle to flip three times. One person was killed, and Amanda was critically injured. She remained in a coma for two and a half months and sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. While in the coma, she also suffered a seizure that paralyzed the right side of her body.

At the time, there appeared to be very little hope for Amanda’s future. But through her own strength and determination, along with the faith and perseverance of her mother, she made remarkable progress in her recovery. The Newport Beach community rallied around her and helped raise funds to cover the extensive costs of treatment.

Amanda’s mother was told that the first year of brain recovery was especially important, and she pursued many forms of treatment on Amanda’s behalf, including physical therapy, neurofeedback, hyperbaric chambers, hippotherapy, acupuncture, speech therapy, and singing therapy. Amanda has said she does not know which therapy helped the most, but she believes they all had a positive effect on her recovery.

Amanda’s story became a major news event and was featured nationally on programs including 20/20, ABC News, and Maury Povich. Over time, her condition steadily improved. She eventually moved out, learned to drive, married, and built a family of her own.

She still lives in Newport Beach and shares her testimony to give others hope.