Cathy Boettger was born on May 24, 1983 to Alan Boettger and Mary Conroy. Cathy was born at Sioux Valley Hospital in New Ulm. She has five brothers and sisters. She spent all of her childhood in New Ulm with her family. Her mom and dad got divorced when Cathy was eighteen years old. Cathy’s mom has since been remarried.
While growing up in New Ulm she attended the local Catholic school and her graduating class had 49 students. She was a popular girl and had a lot of fun during her high school years. Cathy was very good at sports and she loves to play basketball. She was part of the homecoming royalty. Cathy described herself as somewhat of a wild teenager who enjoyed partying with her friends all the time.
Cathy left New Ulm when she was eighteen and went off to college at Winona State University. She was only in school for two weeks when her accident happened. On September 11, 2001, Cathy, her boyfriend, and two other friends went on top of the bluffs in Winona having a good time. From there on out Cathy does not recall if she was pushed off the cliff or if she tripped and fell. She fell forty feet off the top of the cliff onto a small rock landing. She was in a coma for six weeks, spent three months in the hospital, and two years in rehabilitation. In a way, Cathy is thankful for the accident because it had a significant impact on her outlook on life.
Cathy did not walk away from the accident scot-free. She has a traumatic brain disorder, trouble walking, and little feeling in her right arm. Cathy has learned how to do everything different with her new disability. Cathy battled through the rehabilitation and made huge accomplishments in her recovery. She also dealt with the loss of old friends because of their insecurity with the new Cathy. The accident did manage to bring Cathy’s family much closer together and they were all very supportive during and after her recovery.
Cathy did not let the accident get in her way. She went back to school at South Central College and got a degree in community supports for people with disabilities. She graduated with an amazing 4.0 GPA. In 2005 Cathy got a job with Christian Concern, Inc. (CCI), a social service agency where she currently works. She is also planning to go back to school for accounting and office work.
| Videos | Transcripts |
|---|---|
| Family and Childhood(WMV) | Family and Childhood |
| 1st Bra(WMV) | 1st Bra |
| Menstruation(WMV) | Menstruation |
| Friends(WMV) | Friends |
| Dating(WMV) | Dating |
| Sex(WMV) | Sex |
| The Accident(WMV) | The Accident |
| Life After(WMV) | Life After |
Note: Videos play best in Windows Media Player version 9 or newer.
Group Members Amy McClung, Angula Halla, Cassie Hendrickson, Maggie DeHarty, Amanda Slowinski
