VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The sign outside Little Piney Grove Baptist Church in Pungo reads "Miracles happen here." Senior Pastor Rashad Cartwright thinks of himself as one living example.
"What you see is nothing but a miracle. It's a miracle of God's hands that have been on my life," Cartwright told 13News Now.
His life changed on Aug. 29, 2022, when a wrong-way driver on Interstate 64 in Hampton crashed into the pastor's car. Virginia State Police troopers cited the wrong-way driver, who was also badly hurt.
Rashad's wife Shanae Cartwright spoke with 13News Now days after the crash.
"We're believing and knowing the best is going to come," Shanae said on Aug. 31, 2022.
Rashad doesn't remember the crash, but he did recall this while recovering at the hospital:
"I was saying the Lord's prayer and, 'God, I need you to help me work this out. I need you to work this out,'" Rashad said.
Rashad felt numb on the left side of his body. "They said every bone in my face was fractured," he recalled.
He also suffered multiple fractures, including on his shoulder, wrist, fingers, and hip.
Rashad spent around a month and a half at the hospital and rehab center. He couldn't walk, and medical professionals weren't sure if he would again.
"Even before I picked up a weight, it was a weight mentally that I had to fight, that I had to overcome," said Rashad. "But also with that physical, it was trying to get me back mobile and trying to get me to a place that if I couldn't walk, I'm able to operate within a wheelchair."
As time passed, he gained strength. "Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy," he said among the list of things that helped him.
Rashad said he couldn't have done it without holding onto his faith. He also credited the first responders, medical teams, everyone who prayed, and his family.
"Winds of life will blow, but your faith is your anchor," said Shanae. "And I was reminded of that through the support, through the prayers, through the love and even getting through the word, my scripture, and my prayer life."
A little more than one year has passed since Rashad returned to the pulpit. He's walking again, working out and preaching.
While not totally at 100%, the minister focuses on what he's gotten back.
Rashad said, "Now, every chance I get, if I can run a lap, if I can jump for joy, if I can give God praise, I'm just so thankful, I'm so grateful, I feel like I have another chance at life."
He said it's a chance to tell people there's room to get to the other side.
"No matter how bad it looks within your life, no matter how bad the situation can be, listen, you can get through it," said Rashad.