Crash Survivor Pens Book on Recovery, Praises Rescuers

By Carroll County Times Staff Writer: Peter Panepinto

While traveling west on Md. 140 to her Eldersburg home after work Oct. 3, 2000, Eileen Rudnick was struck head-on by a speeding pickup traveling east near Old Gamber Road.

The pickup wound up on top of her vehicle, crushing it. Not even a second later, an SUV crashed into the rear of Rudnick's vehicle.

Rudnick, now 59, can't remember the accident because she suffered severe traumatic brain injury. She only knows what she's read in the investigation report.

Rudnick presented the Reese Volunteer Fire Company with a signed copy of her book, "The Glass Between Us," Tuesday night at the company's headquarters.

The book is a step-by-step chronology of her recovery, starting with the collision, through her time in coma and rehabilitation and concludes with her life after recovering from the brain injury. The book, published by Apprentice House, was released March 1.

Rudnick has a special place in her heart for the company and the EMS workers who saved her life that night, which she wrote about in the book.

"Without them, I wouldn't exist anymore," Rudnick said. "There would be no book, because there would be no me."

She wrote the book because she wanted to share what it's like to live with and recover from a brain injury because it's prevalent and common, Rudnick said.

Rudnick cannot remember anything that happened 12 hours before the crash or anything that happened two weeks after the crash.

But though she has no recollection, Sam Mann said he remembers the day like it was yesterday. Mann, then 39, was the first EMS to respond to the call. He saw that Rudnick wasn't breathing well and she had serious head trauma, so he immediately called for a helicopter.

Mann stabilized her head so she could breathe as other Reese workers extricated Rudnick from the crushed vehicle.

She was then flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

"I was going to the car, and I saw Eileen," Mann, now 49, said, "and I thought 'This isn't your typical call. This is where every second counts.'"

And a few seconds made the difference.

A doctor told Rudnick if Mann hadn't called in for a helicopter, she wouldn't have lived, Rudnick said.

After waking from a weeklong coma, Rudnick said she felt like an infant.

She had to learn how to sit up, walk, talk and eat solid food again. She even had to learn how to stay awake for more than five minutes at a time.

"Everything that an infant has to be taught, I had to learn over again," Rudnick said.

Rudnick is now a full-time English student at Carroll Community College in Westminster. She maintains a 4.0 GPA, is a member of two different honor societies and she's a tutor in math and writing. She visits Mann and other Reese officials each year at the Reese Fire Company's Annual Carnival.

The fire company sees a fair amount of tragedy, especially through accidents, said Joe Spangler, President of the company. It's an amazing feeling to know someone lived through such a challenging experience, he said.

"When someone saves a life, it's the ultimate reward in our business," Spangler said. "It's amazing that she wrote about it and it was published."

Reach staff writer Peter Panepinto at 410-857-7890 or peter.panepinto@carrollcountytimes.com.