This article was published on APU.edu.
“When I broke my back, it felt like it might be the end. I was panicking and in so much pain. Lying there on the ground, I began to pray. Suddenly, I felt the Lord’s presence cover my body. It was the first time I truly felt Him. I heard Him say, ‘I’ve got this.’ My pain didn’t go away, but I could handle it. From that moment on, I’ve had a deep knowing in the core of my being that He has a plan and a purpose for me.”
When she was 13 years old, Taylor Fiddyment dedicated her life to Christ at an altar call at a Christian rock concert called Joshua Fest. Four years later, at 17, she faced the biggest challenge of her life while riding ATVs with friends in Lemmon Valley, Nevada. “I had ridden ATVs many times, but this was just a freak accident,” she said. “I was going around the edge of a bowl, but I wasn’t going fast enough and my momentum didn’t carry me around. I jumped off but the quad rolled over and landed on my shoulders, crushing me.” Fiddyment was rescued and brought to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury and told she would never be able to move or feel her legs again.
After six months of rehabilitation, Fiddyment returned home. “People look at me and think I should be sad, or less motivated than I am because I'm in a wheelchair. I just don’t see it like that,” she said. As a student at Azusa Pacific University, Fiddyment takes a highly active role, including participating in Mexico Outreach, which she has done eight times in the past two years. “Serving in Mexico has been a profound experience. I love going out there with my team and helping in any way I can,” she said. “It’s an incredible chance to see how God moves and spend time with the APU community.”
After graduating from APU, Fiddyment plans to combine her love of service with her international business degree. “My dream job is to work with a team that travels the world and consults nonprofit organizations on how to use their resources efficiently,” she said. “I’m excited for whatever the future holds. Jesus has given me joy and a sense of adventure that makes my life fun. He is the reason I’m able to do all I do.”