I Made It Through High School in Three Years

As you might know, I was in a serious accident in 1991, just two weeks into my 10th-grade year. I missed the entire year of school. The three-week coma and inpatient stay alone cost me three months of school, and my recovery continued well beyond that.

After my discharge from the hospital, the counseling staff initially planned for me to return the following year as a 10th grader. However, I did not want to fall behind the rest of my class. I was determined to move forward with my class.

With the extra credits I had earned in 9th grade, the school allowed me to start directly in 11th grade. During the second semester of my missed 10th-grade year, a teacher also brought workbooks to my home so I could complete reading and writing assignments, helping me earn additional school credits.

When I returned to school, I began in the 11th grade. I took honors and Advanced Placement courses and finished both semesters of my junior and senior years with a GPA above 4.0.

I also returned to many of the activities that had been a part of my life before the accident. I rejoined several clubs at school and held two office positions, with my favorite being president of the Science Club for both my junior and senior years.

Outside of school, I returned to singing and playing the harmonium at my Gurudwara. My sister and I had been singing there regularly on Sundays before the accident, and I wanted to continue.

I was discharged from Loma Linda University Medical Center on Christmas Eve, and just six days later, I chose to participate in the New Year’s program at the Gurudwara Sahib as I had before. My arm was still weak, but I used it to pump the air for the harmonium while singing. I truly believe the prayers of the Sangat helped bring me back to life.

During this time, I also began dancing in AISA shows at the University of California, Riverside, alongside my sister, who was a student there. Even after undergoing ACL surgery on my left knee in the summer of my junior year, I continued to pursue the activities I loved.

In my senior year, I had a shortened schedule and began taking college classes to get a head start on my studies at the University of California, Riverside. Despite the setbacks I had faced, I graduated from Moreno Valley High School on time with my class in 1994.

Looking back, that graduation meant far more than simply finishing high school. It represented resilience, determination, and the support of family, teachers, and community who helped me move forward after one of the most difficult moments of my life.

I held onto one belief through everything I faced.
I had to become as strong as I was before the accident, or even stronger.

Shortly after my graduation, a local newspaper shared my story and the journey that brought me back to school after the accident.

Below is the article that appeared in The Press-Enterprise in July 1994.