(Lexington Herald Leader) – Laura Babbage, a hospital chaplain and well-known Lexington volunteer, has always given the opening prayer at the American Heart Association’s annual Go Red For Women luncheon. She was determined this year would be no different.

Never mind that 15 weeks ago she had a bicycle accident in France that left her with a traumatic brain injury. She endured an induced coma, two airlifts, 15 days in hospitals, a tracheotomy, a ventilator, a feeding tube, four weeks of in-patient rehabilitation and eight weeks of out-patient therapy.

On Friday, she took the stage before 800 people at Lexington Center to celebrate a miraculous recovery, expressing gratitude for the medical care and outpouring of support she has received and joking about how slow her hair is growing back. CONTINUE