Beyond words

13 years after an accident left her without her voice, Longmont woman discovers love, volunteerism

By Ben Ready
The Daily Times-Call

LONGMONT — Danna Richards loves her fiancé, Colorado State University football, rock ’n’ roll, cheap matinees and Chinese food.

When she gets excited, the 44-year-old dances a little twist, flashes a smile and gives a thumbs-up. Friends say she’s as fun, funny and engaging as they come.

If Richards could speak and weren’t so humble, she’d probably tell you the same.

In 1992, Richards got into a car with a guy who’d been drinking. After he hit a tree on the 400 block of Francis Street, Richards spent 2 1/2 months in a coma, 8 months in the hospital and 13 years trying to make life work without the use of her left arm or ability to pronounce words clearly.

She suffered a traumatic brain injury causing aphasia, a language impairment that does not affect intelligence. About 1 in 250 people in America suffer from it, with stroke and brain injury survivors representing the largest percentage.

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