Episode 22: RESTORED with Krickitt Carpenter from The Vow
For Arizona native Krickitt Carpenter, early athletic dreams of a college scholarship came true when she competed and earned her way to Cal State Fullerton where she competed on the gymnastics team. Sadly, a knee injury her senior season cut her career short, but she was able to overcome her loss and graduate with a degree in Exercise Physiology. It wouldn’t be the last time she’d have to find a way to pick up the pieces.
Shortly thereafter, a chance encounter led to a budding young relationship. The relationship soon led to a wedding. And the wedding led to a vow.
However, a devastating car accident that nearly took her life led her and her young marriage to a crossroads: she didn’t remember any of it.
A serious brain injury had ripped away any memories of her courtship, her wedding, or ever even dating the man who was, she was told, her husband. However, tasked with the steep climb to recovery that saw her have to learn to talk and walk again, it wasn’t until later in her recovery that a counselor made the connection: While Krickitt had seen pictures of a girl who looked like her in a wedding dress and desperately WANTED to believe what those around her had told her, she felt trapped in a relationship that she didn’t–and couldn’t–remember.
The couple tried dating again. Eventually, she fell in love all over again and a ceremonial second wedding was held. Tales of their unwavering commitment and a steadfast refusal to turn their back on those vows soon spread.
Their book, The Vow, was written, eventually climbing to a #1 best seller. Public speaking engagements were booked and they made their way to most every major talk show in the nation. By 2012, a hit movie by the same name as the book was made based upon the events of their lives. It was the hard-fought happy ending to a tragic accident that had forever changed their lives.
Until one day, their marriage ended.
Hear Krickitt tell the rest of her story, sharing how she has overcome adversity, clawed her way back from the brink of physical death, and fought to overcome the emotional pain she’s been through in Episode 22: RESTORED.
contact & links
https://www.amazon.com/Vow-True-Events-Inspired-Movie/dp/143367579X
https://www.instagram.com/krickittcarpenter/?hl=en
Episode Summary
From Elite Gymnast to Near-Death Accident: Krickitt Carpenter’s Amazing Story of Resilience
SUMMARY
Krickitt Carpenter was an Arizona native and college gymnast whose dreams of a scholarship came true when she competed and earned her way to the Cal State Fullerton team. A knee injury cut her career short, but she managed to graduate with a degree in exercise physiology. An unexpected encounter led to a relationship and eventually a wedding, but a car accident that nearly took her life left her with a brain injury that erased all memories of her courtship, wedding, and husband. After a long recovery, Krickitt and her husband tried dating again and eventually remarried. Their story of unwavering commitment and refusal to turn their backs on their vows became a best-selling book and a hit movie. However, their marriage eventually ended.
Krickitt was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and grew up in the gym her mother owned, Mary Pappas. She was naturally talented in gymnastics, competing at a high level, and her goal was to get a gymnastics scholarship for college. Krickitt overcame adversity and fought to overcome the emotional pain she was going through. She is now a successful motivational speaker and advocate for those who have gone through similar ordeals.
This conversation is about the guest’s journey from being a collegiate gymnast to transitioning out of sport and into the corporate world. The guest had gone to Cal State Fullerton on a gymnastics scholarship and had a great career, but blew her knee out her senior year. She transitioned into being involved in a great church in Southern California and shifted her focus from being in the gym all the time to being able to serve others. After graduating, she was connected with a sportswear company called Jammin Sportswear and was successful in sales. While working there, she met her husband, whom she married a year later in September 1993. They moved to a small town in New Mexico, where she worked as an exercise physiologist. On the day before Thanksgiving, they were driving to Phoenix to visit her parents when her husband got sick.
The speaker was in a serious car accident just outside of Gallup, NM where he was t-boned by a one-ton Chevy truck. He was taken to a hospital and flatlined twice on the way, but miraculously recovered due to people praying around the world. When doctors asked her questions to assess her memories, she remembered her mom, dad, and unexpectedly, her husband, Todd, who was an old boyfriend. The speaker made a miraculous recovery and was able to tell her story.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00:11 “Krickitt Carpenter’s Journey from Injury to Bestselling Book and Movie”
0:02:29 Interview with Krickitt Carpenter: Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Success in Gymnastics
0:04:03 Heading: Reflection on Transitioning from Collegiate Gymnast to Professional Career
0:09:14 Heading: Miraculous Recovery After Life-Threatening Accident
0:10:41 Conversation between Gus and Mary Pappas and Krickitt and David – A Blessing of Generosity and Kindness
0:12:47 Conversation Recap: Krickitt’s Story of Recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury and Relearning to Know Her Husband
0:17:08 Conversation on Trauma and Breakthrough Moment in a Strained Relationship
0:19:09 Interview with Krickitt and Coach Carpenter: Reflections on Their Second Wedding and Retrograde Amnesia
0:23:40 Interview with Kim and Krickitt Carpenter on the Process of Writing Their Book and Making the Movie “The Vow”
0:27:52 Conversation between Kim and [Name] on the Impact of Infidelity on their Marriage
0:29:59 Heading: Krickitt’s Journey Through Divorce After Near-Death Accident
0:32:37 Interview with Krickitt Carpenter: Reflections on 25 Years of Life, Gymnastics, and Divorce
0:36:34 Heading: Reflection on Faith and Recovery
0:38:12 Interview with John Smith: Finding Faith and a New Path in Life
0:39:31 Interview with Krickitt Carpenter: Overcoming Adversity and Finding Gratitude
HIGHLIGHTS
And then we were really good friends with the pastor and his wife, and so we went to the Presbyterian Church here, the Methodist Church here in Arizona, but we would go here and there.
And for me, my faith is what brings me through. And I’m so thankful how far, like, I look back now and it’s been four years, and it’s incredible how far the Lord has brought me and just how much peace I have in my heart now.
Well, between successful gymnasts and a collegiate career, this remarkable story, and now a painful divorce, if you could go back in time and speak to that little twelve year old in a leotard and sit her down and say, Krickitt, here’s what you have ahead, here’s some advice for the journey.
And I’m involved in a wonderful church, life is good and a great Bible study. I just kind of went off and kind of reconnected with some of my old teammates who I grew up with.
And I had 25 years of my life raising my children and in a marriage and trying to serve the Lord in that. But I have 25 more years that I can go on and start like another new beginning.