Jenny's Story
Jenny "Gabel" Burroughs is originally from Fremont, OH. She was an avid runner, state qualifier in high school, four-year collegiate runner at Trine University, formerly Tri State University, where she was a former school record holder & National Qualifier in the 3000M Steeple-Chase.
Fresh out of college she accepted a job working for her dream company PPG. This opportunity brought her to Pittsburgh, PA where she currently resides. In January 2007, she decided to get her MBA at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz School of Business.
In September 2006, Jenny married her long time high school friend, Greg Burroughs. In June of 2007, just 9 months after being married, she was waiting for a bus after one of her MBA classes at the University of Pittsburgh. As she waited, a stolen car, travelling the wrong way, tried to make a hard left turn in an attempt to flee from police. The car never made that turn, instead, jumping the curb, hitting a brick wall and sending the car down the sidewalk where Jenny was waiting. She was drug approximately 50 feet underneath the vehicle, with the wrecked car eventually coming to a rest with her pinned under the severely damaged engine block. The occupants of the car fled the scene (later to be caught), but by-standers didn't immediately realize she was under the car. Once they found her, they helped lift the car off of her, and called 911. Luckily, one of the premier trauma hospitals in the nation, UPMC Presbyterian, was only 3 blocks away, and Jen was immediately rushed into emergency surgery to treat extensive injuries.
When it was all said and done, Jenny suffered 3rd degree burns over 30% of her body, multiple broken bones, lacerations, & severe head trauma, including brain hemorrhaging, and a blood clot in the brain. From third party accounts, it's been said Pittsburgh Police put the homicide department on the case not expecting her to live. Five months, and more than a dozen surgeries, including multiple skin grafts, Jen was finally released from her 4th hospital.
To this day Jen wears her scars proudly, and is dealing with minor permanent limitations, but really no other lasting effects from the accident. Jen is the proud mother of three, Eli (13), Madelyn (11) and Macy (8).
During her multiple hospital stays there was a tremendous amount of support given to Jenny and Greg from friends and family alike. After this experience Jenny, returning to her running roots, decided to organize a 5K race each year and donate the money to families experiencing similar medical hardships.