Agnes Kim, the survivor of a fatal crash last spring in Oconee County that killed four close friends, is speaking.
Sitting in what looks to be a wheelchair, supported by a headrest, the recent college graduate left a video message for supporters.
“Hello, my name is Agnes. Thank you for praying for me. I am getting better. Thank you. I love you all.”
Then, a smile.
In a message posted Monday to a YouCaring fundraising page, friends called the progress "a huge step in her recovery."
Only recently did she begin speaking, the note adds.
Kim was days away from graduating and was heading back to the UGA campus with four friends the night of April 27. Driving northbound on Ga. 15 in Oconee County, she crossed the center line and into the path of another car.
Kim’s Toyota Camry was struck by a Chevrolet Cobalt. The impact sent the Camry into a ditch.
Kayla Leigh Canedo, 19, of Alpharetta; Brittany Katherine Feldman, 20, of Alpharetta; Christina Devon Semeria, 19, of Milton; and Halle Grace Scott, 19, of Dunwoody, all died from their injuries.
Abby Short of Demorest was driving the Cobalt. She survived, suffering leg injuries that required surgery.
Signs of Kim’s injuries are evident in the video message. Her speech is slurred and slow. A red mark on her neck shows where a trachea tube was used during her recovery.
She’s still living at Atlanta’s Shepherd Center, where she arrived two weeks after the accident in the facility’s brain injury unit. For months, family members and doctors have declined requests inquiring about Kim’s condition. Family-approved updates periodically appear on the YouCaring page, set up by friends to help with medical bills.
The page has raised more than $62,000 since it went up on May 3. The money will be used for medical expenses and home renovations to transition Kim home from the Shepherd Center. Anything left over will go to a charity of Kim’s choosing.
Kim was critically injured in the crash, spending several weeks in a coma. She awoke around June 1, immediately beginning speech, physical and occupational therapy.
“It has been truly humbling to see how many prayers and how much support has been flooding the Kims’ way, and we’re amazed to see how the Lord has been faithful in hearing our petitions,” says the YouCaring page note.
About the Author
