We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful S. Dawne McKay. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with S. Dawne below.
S. Dawne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
According to Global Car Accident Statistics, between 20 and 50 million people every year suffer non-fatal injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes with many incurring a disability.
The journey that you face after surviving a motor vehicle crash can be life-changing as your world has suddenly been turned upside down. It is overwhelming and you may struggle physically, emotionally, financially and psychologically.
After being involved in a horrific automobile crash and transported to a trauma hospital with multiple injuries including a head injury, I was lucky to have survived. I was one of the very few that was fortunate to have an excellent support system but I felt a dire need to connect with other survivors experiencing the same struggles I was left to face.
As I had never found myself recovering from a serious motor vehicle crash before, I began to search for support and quickly discovered there was a lack thereof. At the time, everyone’s lives have moved on but I continued to find myself overwhelmed, isolated and grieving the loss of the person I once was before the crash. I desperately wanted to speak to another survivor.
I took it upon myself to not only build the support I was seeking but to spread it out to others who were in similar situations by creating a private discussion platform within an Online Support Group. Knowing you are not alone as a survivor and to find support in one another is very therapeutic.
As the membership grew within our online support group, I noticed a further need for continuous support and Founded a Quarterly Newsletter entitled “Sharing our Recovery” which quickly evolved into sharing my personal experiences in a Crash Survivor Blog. The Crash Support Network was launched in 2019 which is a unique one-of-a-kind platform that brings all of these wonderful resources together to further support victims and survivors of motor vehicle crashes.
I am also the author of the book, “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery” which is available for purchase on Amazon.
I have continued to donate countless hours to our crash survivor community by sharing resources, highly informative articles, blogs and inspiring posts with survivors from all across the world. In 2024, The Crash Support Network announced an official transition to a Not-For-Profit Organization.
“I am not shy about what happened to me because I have become an advocate for crash survivors. I had to go through my own struggles to create this community of courageous survivors who continuously fight every day.”
Our mission is to raise awareness to the recovery journey that many people face after being affected by a motor vehicle crash and to provide online support, education, connection and resources.
Victims continue to feel the impact long after the motor vehicle crash and when other people share similar experiences, there is an extraordinary level of empathy, encouragement and understanding which is comforting. My passion has always been to help others and has evolved through determination, perseverance and dedication.
My Vision is to build a community where survivors of motor vehicle crashes from all over the world feel supported, understood and inspired. “The Crash Support Network is the first Organization everyone will turn to for support after being injured in a motor vehicle crash.”
S. Dawne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a survivor of a horrific motor vehicle crash that took place in Ontario, Canada in 2012 and I am the Founder of the Crash Support Network. I continue to work hard at bringing awareness to crash survivors through the Crash Support Network’s social media platforms as well as the online support group with survivors across the world that currently has 1.3 thousand members.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The day of impact was life-changing. I sustained multiple injuries that left me with tremendous feelings of loss and numerous rehabilitation and medical appointments not to mention having to deal with with insurance and legal issues. About a year into my recovery someone asked me “why don’t you blog about the crash and your recovery?” I thought this was such an odd thing to say to me. I was recovering trying to put my life back together so why on earth would I share this awful journey that I was left to face? It didn’t make sense to me at the time as I could barely get out of bed to face the day let alone sit down and blog about it. It was a daily struggle full of numerous challenges.
Fast forward five years, and I was approached once again by another individual with the same suggestion and this time, I really considered it. When I thought about it, these individuals may have sensed that I desperately needed to vent my daily struggles with the world but blogging took energy and a lot of it. I continued to face numerous challenges on a daily basis with fatigue, chronic pain and sleepless nights just to name a few. It was my understanding that if you wanted to blog, you would have to keep on top of it but I am not your average blogger. I am not full of energy, I am not pain free and I am not having restful sleeps. As I continue to recover, I am faced with daily struggles and writing a blog could possibly take me days to complete. “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say” and so my blogging days began.
Becoming a blogger was one of the best decisions I made and I am forever thankful for the suggestion. I continue to share my personal journey and have written well over 200 blogs which have gained 200+ subscribers. The blogs are filled with personal experiences as well as tips and advice for other crash survivors who are also trying to navigate their recovery journey. I also collaborate with other crash survivors offering them a platform through the Crash Support Network to share their inspiring stories as a Guest Blogger.
In 2021, I became an author and wrote a book. “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Motor Vehicle Crash and How to Manage Your Recovery.” In Talk Crash to Me, I share my personal experiences post-crash and what a survivor should expect as they recover from a motor vehicle crash. “It’s not just about surviving the crash as it’s much more than that. Recovery can take months and possibly years.”
Where does a survivor find hope when they are left to face a life-changing incident that carries so many struggles? How do survivors feel less alone and move forward? Crash survivors want their life back just as I did and this book offers a template outlining what to expect after a crash, and how to manage physically, emotionally and legally. In my book, I explain how important it is to practice self-love and to take it one step at a time – one day at a time including helpful tips and advice. Nothing can prepare you for the challenges you are about to face but my hope is that Talk Crash to Me will help guide you as you navigate your road to recovery. This is a book that I wish someone had handed to me as I started my recovery journey.
If you were to tell me that one day I would be writing my own book, I would never have believed you but then again, I never thought I would start an online support group that has 1300+ members from across the globe as well as a platform supporting crash survivors.
As I look in my rear-view mirror to that awful morning, I see fear that has turned into courage, I see helplessness that has turned into independence and I see weakness that has turned into strength. I see professional strangers both medically and legally that have turned into new friendships who will be in my life for many years to come. I see a kind and patient man that has been my rock and has been by my side every step of the way. I see an overwhelmed struggling victim seeking a support group that was unavailable, create an online medium making support available to other victims.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Surviving a motor vehicle crash can be extremely overwhelming and isolating when you are recovering. You may be diagnosed with health conditions you have never heard of before. The struggles are real and you will feel alone. Social media has made it easier to connect with other people across the globe. Not only can you contact anyone with an internet connection, our need for communicating has become invaluable. What I like the most about social media is the possibility to expand our support system while we are recovering from a motor vehicle crash and the amount of information that is available to us.
I’ve read some of the most courageous stories on numerous social media platforms that relate to me as a survivor and I continue to see amazing observations made by people I admire on a daily basis. To put it simply, if you join the right group(s) or like/follow the right page(s), social media can become a huge support system in your recovery without even leaving your home.
Building a social media platform can be both a rewarding and challenging journey. It requires patience, persistence, and a lot of creativity. Whether you’re aiming to inspire, educate, or entertain, the key is to stay resilient and adaptable. I find that consistency and fresh content is crucial for building and maintaining an audience.
Building a social media platform is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about slowly and steadily growing a community that values your content and engages with your message. Don’t be discouraged by slow progress or not enough likes or shares. With determination and adaptability, you can continue to grow and make a significant impact on your audience. Our social media platforms are about connection, sharing resources and reminding crash survivors that they are not alone in their recovery journey. If we can help just one person feel less alone, then it’s worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crashsupportnetwork.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashsupportnetwork/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrashSupportNet
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crashsupportnetwork/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Crashsupportnet
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@crashsupportnetwork
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CrashSupportNetworkGroup Online Support Group