Author's visit proves that she can still
teach
MOOR OR LESS
By BILL MOOR
Tribune columnist
Before
she had a family, Haley Scott DeMaria used to be a teacher in her hometown of
Phoenix.
On Thursday, the former Notre Dame swimmer — and survivor — showed she could
still captivate a classroom.
For more than an hour, Haley talked with the middle school students at Queen of
Peace Catholic School in Mishawaka about family, faith and friends.
Her soft words resonated loud and clear.
Haley is in the South Bend area this weekend for three signing sessions of her
new book, "What Though the Odds."
It is about her journey through life after the Notre Dame bus crash in 1992
that left two of her teammates dead and Haley temporarily paralyzed.
She has been given nice reviews. But the nicest may have come from her
4-year-old son, Edward.
"For four days after it came out, he carried the book around and kept
saying, 'It's Mommy's book,'æ" Haley says with a smile.
Many of the Queen of Peace students were impressed with the book, too, after
eighth-grade teacher Mary Korzan arranged for Haley to send her class some
copies. Mary had read that Haley would be in the South Bend area for the Notre
Dame-Michigan football weekend and invited her to speak at her school.
Haley gladly accepted.
Now a stay-at-home mom in Annapolis, Md., Haley told the students that she
loved teaching.
And swimming, too.
"Being able to swim (well) was a gift that God had given me," says
Haley, who at 34 still looks in good enough shape to win a Notre Dame monogram.
"As a girl, it wasn't a gift I necessarily asked for."
But she made the most of it — and quickly embraced it.
She knows that God gave her another gift later in her life.
"That gift is to share the hope and love and goodness that have come along
with this," she adds.
She is referring to her long and often tenuous recovery from her injuries that
initially appeared to include permanent paralysis.
Yet after several operations and hours upon hours of therapy, Haley was even
able to return to the Notre Dame swim team and compete as a junior and senior.
"Not as fast as I had been," she admits.
She was bothered a little about that, but her parents weren't. They were just
happy she could swim again ... and run ... and just walk.
Haley realized that she would have to look for a new normal in her life.
"I can't say that I'm glad with what happened to me," she admits.
"But I am grateful for the lessons I learned from it.
"I like the person that I am striving to be."
Whether you read her book or meet her in person at one of her book signings
this weekend, you will like her, too.
All the care and prayers she received from other people during her comeback
have made her appreciate life — and others — so much more.
"Sixteen years later, my dad is still asked two or three times a week by
people how his daughter is doing," Haley says.
She has immersed herself in that kind of compassion and caring. She has tried
to give back by example, hoping others will see the struggles she endured and
turn to those who may need similar support.
"When something tragic happens to you, there are two things you can
do," she continues. "You can be a more fearful and cynical person, or
you can surround yourself with the goodness that comes your way."
Haley Scott DeMaria chose the latter.
It shows.
