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Auburn alumna Molly Welch '11 uses tragic accident for good

Journalism alumna Molly Welch ’11 uses her networking skills to transform a tragic accident into an impactful organization. As a motivational speaker, Welch founded the project “A Second Later” to help to spread awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

Seventeen years ago, Welch was a junior at Auburn University and drove up to Georgia to visit her best friend. On the way home, Welch was listening to an interview on a handheld recording device when it fell to the floor. In the split second it took to reach down to pick it up, Welch changed her life forever.

“I don't remember the accident itself or even months before it, but the entire thing was recorded on tape. On impact, I must have clutched the record button. You could hear it all,” Welch said. “From the country song I was listening to, to the silence, to the gentleman saying, ‘Breathe easy ma’am, help is on the way,’ and even the sirens and paramedics.”

Welch’s car crashed head-on with a pickup truck, causing Welch to sustain a traumatic brain injury to the left portion of her brain. The doctors were unsure if she would survive.

After about a month in a coma with almost no progress, the doctors decided they needed to send Welch home. Studies have shown that often when a patient goes home, certain senses and sounds can bring them right out of the coma. Luckily for Welch’s family, this is exactly what happened to her.

“One day my sister was in my room, and she started playing Bible songs and I started singing along to the words. A couple days later my father came into my room to stretch out my right arm, and I just bit the heck out of him,” Welch said. “The doctors set up a webcam to watch my progress so after I completed a couple more criteria, I was able to go back into the hospital for treatment.”

After months of speech, physical and occupational therapy, Welch was finally able to return home for good. Welch credits her faith in God as what pulled her through this hard time.

“I came home and started to wonder, ‘What should I do now? I have to finish my degree.’ So, I went back to Auburn. My professors were all amazing and so understanding, they only required that I go to class one day a week instead of two,” Welch said. “It took me an extra three years, but I finally walked across the stage, and I got to do it with my little brother.”

After graduating, Welch worked behind a cubicle at a social media company. She quickly learned that life with no social interaction was not for her, and started to brainstorm how she could use her experiences to help others.

“One day, I took Uber to Starbucks and started to have a conversation with a business owner, and he told me he could help me. He was involved in a texting software and had the idea to promote my message by not allowing the software to be used while driving,” Welch said. “He helped me create a public service announcement which ended up airing in several cities. He also helped me create my nonprofit motivational speaking company, A Second Later.”

Welch credits A Second Later’s success to networking. She attends every networking meeting she can, “because you never know who you're going to run into or who can help you.” Welch emphasizes how much help has been given to her just by getting out there, and she was even able to join the Chamber of Commerce.

“My goal is to just make everyone more aware and focus more on the road. I worked with Georgia's Department of transportation to create a PSA for their websites and news stations. I'm hoping to get a contract to speak to their public schools and driving schools,” Welch said. “I love speaking to schools because of how inquisitive the students always are. Way back in the day, I talked to some of Auburn's journalism classes, and I would love to have that opportunity again.”

To this day, Welch still attends physical therapy and can only do minimal amounts of movement with her right leg and nothing with her right arm.

“It only takes a second,” Welch said. “It's not worth it. So whenever you're thinking of something besides driving, remember that it only takes a second.”

Read more about Molly Welch in her book, “A Second Later: My Life Changed Forever.”

Tags: Communication and Journalism Alumni