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A Scary Incident and a New Perspective on Fitness
Invictus Member Ali’s Story – Introduced by C.J. Martin

I returned from my vacation in Maui to mostly great news, but I was shocked to hear that one of our favorite members was in a horrible accident. I shot her an email to check in on her and was amazed by her response. I wasn’t amazed by her disposition – which is consistently optimistic and upbeat – but rather her perspective as to what her fitness means to her in light of this recent incident (and some REALLY cool news). I should note that Ali is a police officer, was a collegiate athlete, and is an all-around stud in every aspect of her life. Here is her response to my email:

Thanks so much for your email…it meant a lot. All things considered, I’m doing well. I’ve been off work all week and I’m resting as much as I possibly can. I can deal with the pain and soreness because I am just so blessed to be alive! I don’t know how much you heard about the accident, but I was helping a disabled motorist on 163 South and she was pulled over in the fast lane. Long story short, I was out of my car helping her and I saw a taxi come barreling towards me….not slowing down! I jumped back in my car to avoid being hit by the taxi and he hit my patrol car at about 50-60mph. The other woman wasn’t hurt since my car took all the force (photo of Ali’s police cruiser is above). Besides a sore neck & lower back, some facial bruising, and some knee discomfort, I’m doing well…a miracle there were no broken bones!

And on the positive side (I’m always looking at the positives)….my 10 week old baby fetus is ok! That’s right…I must have drank too much of the water at Invictus, because now I’m part of the mommy club (and the main reason I didn’t do the LGFGPG 😉 ). Just had the follow up appt and my tough little nugget is hanging on strong :-).

I’ve had many conversations over the past week with many friends and family members and the recurring themes throughout the week was #1 How lucky I was to be alive and #2 How my physical fitness saved my life. I was speaking to my husband’s best friend (also a CrossFitter), and he said, “CrossFit probably saved your life.” And the more I think about it, the more I believe it. I firmly believe that because of the shape I’m in and the workout program at Invictus, my back has never been healthier. If it wasn’t for Crossfit, I would surely have a slipped disk, pinched nerve, etc, etc. (On a side note….I was thinking about this two weeks ago when I had to wrestle some guy to the ground at work…if that’s not functional fitness, I don’t know what is!).

Not only did the physical aspect save my life, but the mental angle did as well. CrossFit is totally mental. It is mental toughness that gets you to the gym in the first place, it is mental toughness that gets you through the workouts, and it is the mental toughness that brings you back! My ability to think on my toes and think while in pain is something that got me through this incident, and it is an ability that is honed every time I walk through the doors of Invictus.

Sorry if this is a bit cheesy…..maybe it is the PTSD talking 🙂 jk. But I’ve had a lot of time to reflect. I was hoping to swing by the gym this morning to say hello, but the body wasn’t moving too quickly today. Hopefully I’ll be in next week to say hello and do some modified movements…that’s my goal.

Thanks for the support and I hope to be back soon….but with a slightly larger midsection 🙂

13 thoughts on “A Scary Incident and a New Perspective on Fitness: Ali Hill”

  1. Smash

    Wow, what an incredible post. I hope you guys don’t mind me reposting this for my clients!

    So glad everyone (especially the baby) is doing well (all things considered).

    Thank you for sharing this story!

  2. Ben S.

    Isn’t it illegal to pull over to the left for this very reason? Glad to hear you’re doing okay Ali, congrats on joining the mommy club! You have to save this story for when your baby comes…

  5. Brent

    Ali, glad to hear that you’re doing ok.
    Did Thursday’s workout,
    AMRAP 15min of:
    3 pull-ups w/ 2pood KB
    6 parallettle HSPU
    9 box jumps 38″
    Got through 6 rounds + 3 pull-ups.

  7. courtland

    Ali, Good to learn that you and the baby are doing well. That is one hell of an accident and you are probably right–tough training most likely kept you from being injured any worse than you were. Was the cab driver seriously injured? From the looks of the wreckage, he must have gotten pretty banged up too. Good luck with your recovery.

  9. Marsha

    Congrats on the baby, Ali! I am also very glad to hear that both of you are alright. Take care of yourself!

  10. Cocklepalooza

    WOW Ali! I am so impressed by you! Your story is amazing and should be shared. I’m so glad you and little one are OK. Thank you so much for the hard work you do!

  13. Nichole

    Ali!! I am so happy to hear you are doing well! Accidents are so scary and I am just thankful to know you are doing okay. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything – we are here to support you!!!

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