I broke my neck and I’m glad that I did
- Natalie Gunther
- Jul 17
- 4 min read
By Natalie Gunther
On the early morning of Woman’s Day on 9 December 2014, tragedy struck for a certain woman.
Natalie Gunther who was 29 years old was a passenger when the driver lost control of the vehicle and rolled off of the highway. Natalie was found 13m away from the vehicle with a broken neck when paramedics took her to a local hospital.
She was admitted to ICU where the specialist surgeon sat the family down for the news. He said that he had to operate but there would be a 40% chance of survival and if she survives, a 50% chance that she would be paralyzed. It was a new method of surgery that he had performed once in South Africa and the third time
ever.
“I don’t remember the accident, I just remember waking up in ICU. When the doctor gave us the news, the thought of being paralyzed never crossed my mind it was more just about potential death. While waiting in the theatre before the operation, I closed my eyes and said a prayer…Jesus, if this is the end for me it’s okay. I had complete peace. I woke up, I survived, I wasn’t paralyzed and then everything changed.
The doctor was in awe and attributed my peaceful state to a successful surgery. After recovery in ICU I was moved to the general ward to recover.
Before the accident, I was in sales for digital marketing and then signage but I always wanted to learn how to do graphic design and website design as well as start my own business. Like so many of us, I always had excuses of not having the time or not having the money to start so I never did. While lying in hospital, realizing that a sales position being on the road wouldn’t be an option for a while, I decided that now
was a perfect time to start.
I had someone design my logo and when I was discharged from hospital my learning and business adventure began. It was the most painful yet rewarding time of my life, one small milestone at a time. There was a time where I felt a bit depressed and one evening I decided to turn on a Christian channel TBN and the pastors had a message for a lady whose 29, was in a car accident, was in pain and feeling down.
The message was to use my creativity for God and instantly I felt better. I had a lookon Facebook and found a support group for broken neck survivors and that was truly amazing, I now assist in managing the group with a lady in USA.
It was around that time that a friend encouraged me to join them at church, I had gone to church my whole life but once I physically could, I went. While the pastor was saying a general prayer, I prayed for my back pain to leave. I felt a warmth in my back and the pain disappeared.
The business grew from strength to strength and so did my healing. Although I still live with spasms on a daily basis, I am grateful at my second chance at life. I have done more with my life after the accident than before.
On a personal and business level I have won and was nominated for various awards. My hope is that my story inspires and encourages others while also possibly offering tools as to how to deal with things we go through.
During the 10 years after the accident, I got married and then divorced. I decided to move to beautiful Mossel Bay where I ended up assisting a German couple grow and manage a farm, while still running my business remotely in Johannesburg. I later then decided to open a branch in Mossel Bay with partners.
I had to accept that I had taken on more than I was capable of handling and in early 2025 I decided to close the business and resign from the farm. It has been a roller coaster of a journey but through it all I realized a passion for teaching others about digital marketing. Not long after the accident I feel that I had a vision to start a charity and to use my creativity by sharing other amazing miracle testimonies.
In July 2025 I relocated to Somerset West where I now focus on my passion and what I believe is my calling. I know that the challenges I went through moulded me into the person that I needed to be, for a time such as this. I can safely say that It’s a miracle that I’m alive and that God has done amazing things in my life. My relationship with Jesus is stronger now than it has ever been and at the end of the day, that is all that matters. No amount of success or money or tangible thing could
give you the same fulfilment.
Follow me and stay posted for my YouTube channel and Podcasts launching soon.
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Social Media – TrainCo SA (training platform for anyone who wants to join)
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