The Miracle Survival of African-American College Student Julian McCormick

Earlier this month Julian McCormick, a black student at Bowie State University in Maryland, left campus to drive to see his girlfriend at the University of Maryland. He never arrived.

McCormick lost control of his car and it ran off the road into a steep ravine. The car came to rest on its roof next to a creek. McCormick drifted in and out of consciousness. His classmates placed fliers around campus and held a candlelight vigil. His girlfriend placed 127 calls to his cell phone but the phone’s battery was dead.

Battered and bruised, McCormick was able to use his size 13 shoe to reach out of the car to get water from the creek. Finally, he was able to cut himself free with a small knife and force the car door open. Unable to use his legs, he crawled up the 30-foot embankment to the highway using his elbows. A passing motorist saw him at the side of the road.

It had been eight days since the accident. McCormick did not have any major injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.