Alive and swinging - Accident nearly took life of tennis player

Jackson senior Kim Anderson can somehow smile, with a full set of teeth, when she recounts the road leading to today's district tournament at Forest Park in St. Louis.

Anderson and her partner Kelly Mitchell are the top seeds in Class 2, District 1 doubles play. Today could be Anderson's last high school match, but don't count on it.

So far, her scooting and hobbling style, driven by will, knows no end.

Anderson, who went 14-0 in singles play for the Lady Indians this season, appeared to play her last match two years ago.

As a freshman and sophomore, in what may seem to her like another lifetime in a different body, Anderson played No. 1 singles for the Indians and advanced to the state tournament each year. She played for the district singles championship as a freshman only to tear an ACL in the title match and finish second. She won the district as a sophomore on the surgically repaired knee.

The future looked bright.

Then life threw one of its cruel twists. And the twist almost cost Anderson her life.

On April 21, 2001, Anderson was driving back from a dance in Farmington on Highway 32, heading east toward Ste. Genevieve. She lost control of the car and skidded into the path of a tractor-trailer rig. Her memories of the remainder of the night ended on impact. She was in a fight for her life.

It took rescuers an hour to remove her from her car and she was airlifted to St. John's Mercy Hospital in St. Louis.

While a seat belt probably saved her life, she suffered extensive injuries to her left side: broken femur, fractured pelvis, shattered elbow, broken humorous and fractured collar bone. She also sustained cracked ribs, a broken right wrist, concussion and damage to her kidney, liver and spleen.

She never saw her Nissan Maxima, but said it was described to her as a "piece of sheet metal."

She spent two weeks in intensive care and came close to death on three occasions.

Besides nearly losing her life, she almost lost her leg.

"The doctors up there were awesome," said Kim's mom, Jennifer. "Her leg was hanging by a thread."

She underwent several multiple surgery operations before being released in July. Additional surgeries were performed in the months to follow.

"Oh my gosh, I can't even count," Kim said when pressed for a number of operations.

Physical and occupational therapies that started during her hospitalization continued after her release.

"My desire to play tennis is my desire to work hard in physical therapy," Kim said.

Her rehabilitation is an ongoing process.

She was able to return to school as a junior, but did a lot of home schooling, especially after operations that often put her back on crutches.

Tennis, a sport that she played since age 11, wasn't much in the picture. She didn't even get to watch her teammates last fall.

"I probably had too much homework," Kim said. "I was pretty much swamped."

Not that she was ready, but she played in an indoor tennis league at Universal Fitness last winter.

"I could walk just little bit, so I played like that," Kim said. "It was a stress reliever to have a little fun and hit."

When the high school tennis season rolled around this year, Jackson coach Linda Adams contacted her former No. 1 player for a little assistance at a camp.

"I called her and said, 'Hey why don't you come out and kind of help me coach?'" Adams said. "She's got so much good information about tennis. I knew she loved tennis and just wanted her to keep busy, but I didn't think she'd be able to play at all."

The camp served to stimulate a dormant interest. She developed a desire to return to the Indians' team and soon surprised her coach with the revelation.

Her mom also was among the shocked.

"I didn't believe it when I came in from work one night and said she was going out for tennis, because I never thought there was hope of her playing tennis again," Jennifer said.

Kim ultimately was among the surprised.

"I figured I couldn't play competitively again because all of my problems," Kim said. "I soon found out a little bit different once I tried it. But I've really, really enjoyed it."

She started out as the Indians' No. 6 singles player but worked her way up to No. 3 through challenge matches.

Anderson, still far from 100 percent, imparts her own style of running.

"She scoots and hobbles, but has fun doing it," Jennifer said.

"People who see her play are just amazed," Adams said. "If she gets a racket on a ball she can get the ball over the net. I thought she'd be a good doubles player because her movement is limited. And she's got a good partner in Kelly."

Anderson's technique is still as smooth as ever.

Kim's eyes, not injured in the accident, also are better than ever. They've provided a new outlook on life.

"I appreciate things more greatly than I ever did before," Kim said. "Just being outside to me is just wonderful. Because I was in a hospital bed for a long length of time and I couldn't even see outside. Playing tennis now I have more of a passion and desire because everything comes from my mind and my heart. I don't have anything real physical that I can bring it out of."

"I'm just glad she's here," Jennifer said. "We almost lost her three times. Every minute counts. We enjoy a walk in the park and little things more -- just being together."

There are a lot of new parts to Kim -- rods, plates and even wires.

But she still has some original equipment -- her teeth.

"She was very lucky. You know what amazed us, really, was that she's got all her teeth," Jennifer said with a hearty laugh. "When anybody's been in a wreck they always lose their teeth. We spent a lot of money getting her teeth fixed, and she's got them all."

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124