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Writers and philosophers throughout time have described life in countless ways: uncertain, strange, fragile, miraculous, and like a box of chocolates. Jessica Rantamaki knows that it can be all these things and more, but after July 1, 2017, one aspect jumped to the forefront and became her driving force – that it’s not guaranteed.

It was on that day a car thief trying to outrun the police in Sugar Hill, Georgia, crossed double yellow lines and crashed head-on into the car Rantamaki was driving with her husband and two of their friends inside.

“It was like the car had imploded. I didn’t know if anybody other than me was still alive,” she says.

Miraculously, everyone in her car survived, but Rantamaki, an avid runner training for the Peachtree Road Race, suffered catastrophic internal injuries, a fractured spine, and a nearly broken spirit. With painstakingly slow steps, she made it through countless hours of physical therapy and eventually her body healed. But that wasn’t enough for her – she had to run again. Thanks to the unceasing support of her husband, Rick, and a dedicated team of healthcare professionals, she defied all predictions. A year after the accident, she crossed the finish line of the Peachtree Road Race in tears. That was one major goal accomplished but she had other, even more important ones now.

“I had an epiphany of sorts while in the hospital,” she says. “When faced with your own mortality, you wonder what you may have missed that you would want to do. For me, that was finishing my college degree.”

But she had to wonder if it was too late. She was 47 – would she fit in on a college campus?

“I was inclined to think too much time had passed and that I wouldn't be as quick to learn as the other students since I hadn't been in school in over 25 years,” she says.

She took the leap anyway and enrolled in the Georgia Gwinnett College political science program after sitting through the sentencing of the young man who caused the accident that almost ended her life.

“I watched him answer questions from the Gwinnett County district attorney: How old was he? 27. What was his highest level of education? The ninth grade,” she recalls. “I started to cry as I listened because he was at an age where he could have been my son.”

Rantamaki researched the young man’s background and discovered he had been in trouble with the law since his early teenage years. She wondered if his life, and in turn, her life, might have been less tragic if things had been different for him.

“What if society had not failed him? Maybe he had a bad home life, who knows?” she ponders. “Then I thought, ‘What will become of him when he does get out?’ Will the system fix him? Political Science seemed like the degree to get that could help me understand these most fundamental questions about our justice system, and maybe be a part of needed change.”

Time spent in recovery healing from the accident helped her see clearly how important community is. She says before the accident she lived in a bubble full of her own celebrations and tragedies. After the accident, the bubble burst.

“I don't think I fully appreciated how important our roles are in the lives of others,” she explains. “It was the people who hardly knew me who sent flowers to the hospital or brought meals to my home when I couldn't cook. It was the people who took time out of their day to text me to say they were sending me good vibes and wishing me well. Everyone along the way, from the first responders, medical staff, friends, family and business associates, truly impacted me and illustrated the significance of our roles in our communities.”

Rantamaki says that, despite her fear of not fitting in because of her age, interacting with her fellow students has been her favorite thing at GGC.

“They have graced me with their knowledge and perspectives,” she says. “I have been in study sessions with working moms and dads, people from across the globe with vastly different beliefs. But we were all working toward the same goal, and it was so great seeing so many young people fulfilling their purpose.”

After graduation, Rantamaki hopes to eventually work at a nonprofit that helps young or incarcerated people. In the meantime, she will continue to work at Geo-Hydro Engineers as a business developer. She credits the company, where she’s worked for more than eight years, with supporting her through her recovery and undergraduate studies.

“It is so important to have an employer who will support you through such a traumatic injury,” she says. “It was vital to my success.”