Lauren Scruggs Talks Recovery, Resilience After Accident
DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - It's been nearly a year since Lauren Scruggs walked into a spinning plane propeller on a private airstrip in McKinney.
It was devastating. Lauren, a 23-year-old fashion blogger at the time, lost her left eye and hand in the accident.
Since then, Lauren has been fighting for her recovery. She's been working with a trainer and even took up boxing again.
She's appeared on network and local news programs. People magazine is featuring a story about her in next week's issue.
Her book was just released. "Still Lolo" talks about her family life and the accident that changed it forever.
Lauren has overcome many obstacles but there are still battles with insecurities.
"Insecurities that come along like when you don't have your hand. That's made me insecure. Even my eye. And pushing those things and realizing the true purpose in life. What beauty really is," she said.
Lauren, who has a sweet spirit and quiet personality credits her faith with helping her through the ordeal.
"I just know His power, love and grace through struggle," she said.
There are those who call her a warrior, including her mother.
"Even as a little girl whatever she tried to accomplish she always put that warrior spirit in place and that's her," Cheryl Scruggs said.
The accident happened December 3, 2011. She and the pilot had just landed after an aerial tour of the Christmas lights.
In her book, Lauren talks about having a bad feeling while they were in the air. In the book, her father, Jeff, explained that when they landed, the pilot parked the nose of the plane toward the direction of the wind as he was trained to do.
But, that meant Lauren's exit faced away from the house from which they came. The plane had only two seats, one behind the other. When Lauren exited the clam shell door, the propeller was still spinning.
"I think a lot of people have assumptions about how the accident happened. So, I think It's important to kind of show I basically got out in front of the wing. That's basically getting out on the propeller for the most part. You're about a couple of feet away," she explained.
She doesn't remember much at all about the accident itself. But she and her family are still grieving over it.
"My doctor told me, losing my hand is like losing a sister or a family member because it's a part of you," she said.
Her mother, Cheryl, said, "You have to be patient with yourself to grieve like you're supposed to grieve and hurt like you're supposed to hurt. And God is there to sustain all of that."
The family credits their faith for getting them through it all. Overcoming insecurities makes her more confident she says, "Of who I am in the Lord."
Lauren, who was a 23-year-old fashion blogger when the accident happened still sees fashion in her future. She's keeping her online fashion blog up to date and has an online fashion magazine.
But she wants to use what she's learned from her experience to mentor young girls on the importance of developing beauty within.
For now, she's simply thankful for all the support.
She said, "That has just been overwhelming. I don't know if I could ever express my gratefulness."
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