South Florida native and musician Lindsay Bell sings a sad story that will shake you to your core. But once you notice her strength, you won't be weeping for long.
A massive fall, a laundry list of broken bones, and numerous surgeries later, Lindsay is still recovering from a life-changing fall that left her relearning to walk and run.
This weekend, Propaganda is hosting the Dangerbell Benefit to raise funds to offset her medical costs with performances by Bell and her boyfriend Matt, Astrea Corp, Steph Taylor of State of, and Phaxas, as well as some non-nude glow body painting. We spoke with Bell about her accident, road to recovery, and inspiring others through YouTube.
New Times: Can you tell us about your story?
Lindsay Bell: I just took a really bad fall. It was about the equivalent of three stories, and I landed on my feet. I don't remember any of it, because I hit my head really badly, and I cracked it wide open, so I lost a few hours before and a few hours after.
What were you doing when you fell?
My friends and I were climbing a wall.
I landed straight on my feet, and I was in my socks because I had been wearing boots that night and I was afraid that my boots were going to make me slip, so I took them off, and that was a bad move. I slipped, and when I landed on my feet, it shattered both heels into 25-plus pieces each. Some of them wound up on the top of my feet, and I pretty much crumbled to the right, shattering the ankle joint up to the tibia, shattered the femur, and shattered the hip joint.
And how long ago was that?
That was a year and a half ago on January 1.
Wow, I didn't realize that was such a short amount of time.
It has been a crazy journey, but I've just tried to remain really positive and determined because there is no point in giving up. I'm not going to sit around on the couch for the rest of my life.
Absolutely. And where are you in the recovery process right now?
Right now, I have just gone back to physical therapy. I am walking on my own, which is fantastic, without the crutches and everything. It is a little tricky still to try to walk on the treadmill. They are trying to get me to walk correctly because I am kind of walking on the outsides of my feet, so we are basically just doing strength training.
I haven't learned how to run yet. My body forgot how to do all these things. I can't just say "I'm going to jump now" and jump, or "I am going to go take a little jog" -- my legs don't know how yet. And that's kind of where I am -- just working on stability and balance and things like that.
So what are your medical bills like?
They are pretty hefty. Eight surgeries later and several CT scans and hyperbaric chamber treatments has definitely added up. I maxed out my copay.
Have you always been a fan of the local music scene?
Oh yeah! I've been playing since probably 2004.
What do you play?
I will be playing the night of the fundraiser. I've been playing guitar and singing for a long time, and I will be playing guitar and ukelele and singing with my boyfriend Matt at the show.
Did you hand-pick all the other bands that are playing?
I picked Steph Taylor and Denise Phaxas; she goes by Phaxas. And Matt Krug actually booked Astrea Corp.
I can't help but notice that it says "glow body painting." I'm going to need some more details on that.
Nobody is going to be naked or anything. A friend of mine named Alex, she does local murals and stuff like that. She is just a really fun, spunky girl. She will not just be splattering people with paint; she is going to be painting really beautiful designs on people. She has been trying them out on her friends and going out to the bars last week. I'm kind of encouraging girls to bring their bikini tops so they can have their tummies painted and backs painted and whatever they would like.
Do you have other friends stepping up and showcasing any of their skills at the show?
Yep! My friend Mel is going to be live painting along with the band. She is just kind of going to be dancing along and painting to the music.
What else do you want people to know about your journey or the fundraiser?
One thing I would like to share is I started a YouTube channel back in March that follows me from the day I took my first steps until today.
I started that channel, because when I was in the hospital, it was really difficult, and I had a really hard time finding something that would make me feel better, because I just felt like it was the end of the world for a little while there. So I started this YouTube channel to show people that it gets better and to let them watch me get better to give them hope.
If anyone else is going through something like what I went through, I would love for them to take a look and feel a little bit better and see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The Dangerbell Benefit featuring Astrea Corp, Phaxas, Steph Taylor, and Lindsay & Matthew. 8 p.m. Friday, June 21, at Propaganda, 6 S. J St. in Lake Worth. All proceeds benefit Lindsay's recovery. There will be a raffle with tons of awesome prizes. Cover is $5 for 21 plus and $10 for 18 to 20. Visit Facebook. Click here to learn more about Lindsay and donate to the cause.
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