Over the 16 years since her life-altering accident, Stephanie Nielson has known the many dimensions of healing — the relentless reconstructive surgeries and skin grafts, the wells of anger and grief, the pleading with God that she could forget everything that happened and then to remember it again, the gratitude of being alive and the sense of purpose she feels in sharing her story.
Her blog, the NieNie Dialogues, which turns 20 years old next year, has grown with her into a vulnerable and earnest record of Nielson’s healing.
The blog stands as a chronicle of Nielson’s resilience — a space where she could tell her story on her own terms, choosing life, hope and faith amid unrelenting physical pain.
That resilience was put to the test again when Nielson hiked Mount Kilimanjaro, along with a group of burn survivors from the Arizona Burn Center. The trip, which included doctors and nurses who treated Nielson, aimed to raise funds for a new burn center.
Often physically exhausted and emotionally drained on the hike, Nielson faced the question that is now part of her everyday life: How do you live with inescapable pain and devastating memories and, despite the agony, move forward anyway? “My whole recovery is climbing mountains every day,” she told reporter Mariya Manzhos.
The summit was part of her healing, she says.
Read more about what Neilson is up to now and to get an inside look at the plane crash survivor and blogger's experience climbing the tallest mountain in Africa.
.png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah%20Today%20Banner%20(v2).png)
-Nov-28-2024-01-37-56-3050-AM.jpg)
-Nov-28-2024-01-37-56-1738-AM.jpg?width=1120&upscale=true&name=1-pets-4122024%20(3)-Nov-28-2024-01-37-56-1738-AM.jpg)
.png?width=1120&upscale=true&name=2%20(1).png)
.png?width=750&upscale=true&name=Round%20out%20your%20day%20(v5).png)
