By all indications, Julia Anderson should not be alive.
Her body imprint was visible on the front of the van that slammed into her on U.S. 89.
The van's windshield was smashed by Anderson's head crashing into the glass as she was lifted helplessly off the ground and her body wrapped around the van.
The then-13-year-old was covered with scrapes and bruises and suffered broken legs while being carried 100 feet on the van and then thrown another 25 feet onto the pavement.
Lastly, there was the tear in Anderson's aorta, which, by itself, can quickly lead to death.
"All the doctors and rescue personnel said she shouldn't have gotten off the pavement alive," said Steve, Julia's father.
"She should have died on the highway."
However, in what her family calls a miracle full of life-saving human angels, Anderson not only survived, but has also thrived since the accident.
"It's kind of crazy to think that all those miracles happened to you, and it makes me think I have a purpose to be here," said Julia, now 18.
"It makes me want to work hard and do things right."
Four and a half years later, she is making the most of every moment, as well as finding ways to commemorate the accident that nearly took her life.
Crossing the street
It was like any other Thursday after school.
On Oct. 5, 2006, Julia and her best friend, Holly Gayle, were crossing U.S. 89 near Green Road. It was just up the street from the Anderson house. They made it safely across the southbound lanes to the median. However, only Holly got to the other side safely.
Before she could cross, or retreat back to the median, Julia was struck by a van. She does not remember much of what happened that day, which she admits is probably a good thing.
"I remember seeing the front of a car," Julia said. "I sort of remember having a tube pulled out of my throat in the hospital."
Steve and his wife, Diane, received a phone call from the Davis County Sheriff's Office, and in an instant they were running out of the house to the location of the sirens.
"We were amazed that she was still alive," Steve said. "When she was crying, we were going, 'Great.' She kept saying her lungs hurt and she couldn't breathe."
That was the result of the aorta being torn away from her heart, an injury that was not discovered until Julia was at the hospital.
Quick help
As quickly as Steve and Diane got to the horrifying scene, others beat them there.
"When we were first on the scene, it was amazing to see that many people around her," Steve said. "She was already in pretty good hands, we could tell."
A fireman was the driver just behind the accident and stabilized Julia until dozens of emergency medical technicians, firemen, ambulance squads and helicopter medical personnel arrived.
The first paramedics to arrive had been on Mountain Road, just a minute from the accident. They easily could have been 10 or 15 minutes away, which would have been bad news for Julia.
"There are so many heroes associated with it," said Diane, who lay beside Julia on the ground. "I think that's really part of the story, how amazing the people were."
Along with having so many people on scene so quickly, the road also helped Julia in its own way.
Just two days earlier, U.S. 89 was repaved with new asphalt. Landing on a relatively smooth, soft, spongy surface made it so that Julia hit rather lightly and slid on the asphalt, rather than hitting, spinning and tumbling down the road.
"I'm convinced that if Julia had landed on the original, hard, worn surface, she would have sustained much worse injuries," Steve said.
Getting better
Julia was airlifted to Primary Children's Medical Center. Thanks to an extra X-ray that was not part of the normal procedure, doctors discovered the tear in her aorta. She immediately underwent surgery to repair the tear.
She also had surgery to repair her broken legs. When she woke up, it took her a while to speak.
Julia's parents knew things would be fine when one of the first things she asked about was her newly pierced ears.
"She was worried that the holes would close up," Diane said.
Julia spent 11 days in the hospital, and when she returned home, she was in bed for a month. She had a tutor who helped her with school, although she was able to attend a few classes at Kaysville Junior High.
While she was recovering, students, even the boys, at her school painted their fingernails pink. That was a tribute to Julia because, while in the hospital, one of her sisters painted Julia's nails bright fuchsia.
Support
The family got tremendous support from their friends and others in the community.
All of her family, including her four sisters and three brothers and their spouses, came to Utah to support her. That time was special for the family, especially for Julia's parents since they saw their daughter's strength. That became an inspiration to them.
"She had a great attitude and spunk and was positive through the whole time," Diane said. "She didn't really complain. It made us respect her example."
"I learned gratitude as well as toughness," Steve said. "Even a tender, little girl, which she was, has a measure of toughness that comes out in the toughest conditions."
Moving on
Having always loved to run, Julia reached a milestone when, the summer after her accident, she ran three miles.
"I ran real slow, and it hurt, but I did it," Julia said.
Now a senior at Davis High School, Julia is active on the track and cross country teams and is earning excellent grades in the classroom.
In her room, she keeps a picture of her hooked up to the machines in the hospital. Her family has another photo in their living room, one of Julia being treated at the scene. Both serve as reminders of how fortunate the family is that Julia has recovered.
"The story's not over," Diane said. "I think it's going to go on. That's where the story will end, with what she does."
Time for thanks
Since the accident, every October, the Anderson family does something to remember that terrifying day. One year they visited the Kaysville Fire Department. Another year they stopped by the hospital to say hello and thanks.
They have also visited the air-flight personnel, and enjoyed speaking with those who were a part of Julia's life-saving response team.
"Every year we learn something new about someone who helped," Diane said. "It's quite humbling to know."
After graduating from high school this spring, Julia hopes to go to Brigham Young University-Idaho, and also go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After that, she wants to get married and become an orthopedic surgeon.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do before the accident," Julia said. "This kind of helped me decide."
Perhaps she will somehow save a life just the way hers was saved.
"Maybe," Julia said. "That would be cool."
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