A young Oxford woman’s life almost came to an abrupt and tragic end following a devastating crash with an alleged drunk driver headed the wrong way on M-24 in the wee hours of Dec. 31, 2016.

But thanks to some Good Samaritans, who acted selflessly, quickly and bravely at the scene, and a very powerful will to live, four months later, Samantha “Sammy” Calhoun, 19, is at home, working hard every day to heal herself physically and mentally from a laundry list of severe injuries.

“She’s tough,” said Matt Calhoun, her dad. “She never gives up, that’s for sure.”

To help Sammy, a 2015 Oxford High School graduate, and her family, a bowling fund-raiser will be held on Sunday, May 21 at Classic Lanes (2145 Avon Industrial Drive) in Rochester Hills. It’s called “Strike Up Support for Sammy Calhoun” and it will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bowlers are asked to arrive by 5 p.m.

Tickets are $25 per person for bowlers and $15 each for non-bowlers. The event will include three hours of bowling (shoes provided), pizza, pop, raffles, balloons, face painting, henna tattoos, music and more.

Sammy will be there along with the men who saved her life at the scene – David Walatkiewicz and Dr. John Ditchman, a doctor for McLaren Lapeer Region hospital.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, please contact Donna Calhoun by calling (248) 765-2375 or by sending an e-mail to calhounoakland@aol.com.

The crash that nearly claimed Sammy’s life happened on M-24, near Oakwood Rd., in Oxford. She was driving a 2003 Dodge Durango in the northbound lanes when a southbound 2006 Chevrolet Impala, driven by Alyce Christine Tallieu, 28, of Sandusky, Michigan, smashed into her, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

Sammy’s Durango flipped on its side and caught fire. She was extricated from the burning wreck by Walatkiewicz and Ditchman, who stopped at the crash scene to help. A knife was used to cut her seat belt, so they could pull her out.

Tallieu, who had her two children, ages 5 and 7, in the vehicle with her at the time of the crash, was arraigned April 24 before Magistrate Marie Soma in Rochester Hills 52-3 District Court on six felony charges – three counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury and three counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment of body function.

Tallieu was released on a $30,000 personal bond. Her case was assigned to Judge Nancy Carniak and her next court date is May 8.

Matt harbors no ill will toward the alleged drunk driver. “I wish her and her family the best,” he said. “I’m praying for them. I pray for them every day. Alcoholism is a disease. There’s no doubt about that.”

“I have to forgive or I’d go crazy,” Matt noted. “When I put my head down to pray, she’s like the first person that I pray for.”

Sammy’s injuries as a result of the crash were extensive and brutal.

According to Matt, her pelvis, spine, sternum and “multiple ribs on both sides” suffered fractures. “She broke her pelvis in five spots,” he said.

Sammy’s aorta was torn. She sustained a tear in one of her carotid arteries. Her diaphragm and liver were damaged. Both of her lungs were punctured. She suffered a stroke that impacted the right side of her brain and she’s having problems with her vision.

“She has no peripheral vision on her left side and her right eye turns on and off,” Matt said.

Sammy also suffered injuries related to the vehicle fire. “She had to have skin grafts on her right leg, from her knee to her ankle,” Matt said. “On the other leg, she’s got scars from the burns.”

When he arrived at the hospital, Matt thought he was going to lose his Sammy.

“At first, they said that she wasn’t going to make it,” he explained. “They told us to say good-bye to her. That was really, really rough.”

The odds were stacked against Sammy, but somehow, she beat them. She lived. She got better. She grew stronger.

Following the crash, Sammy spent 43 days in the hospital before returning home.

Today, sleeping in her own bed and surrounded by loved ones, her recovery continues.

“She goes to (physical) therapy five days a week for three hours a day,” Matt said. “She is walking now with help (from a walker), but most of the time, she’s in the wheelchair.”

A positive attitude and lots of hard work are fueling Sammy’s recovery, according to her father. “She never says she doesn’t want to go to therapy. She always wants to go,” Matt said. “She gets up early every day and has her routine.”

There has definitely been no shortage of community support for Sammy and her family. They’ve been flooded with prayers, well-wishes and financial donations. A fund-raising page was set up via GoFundMe.com. The goal was $10,000. A total of $11,830 has been raised so far. Matt said the outpouring of support has “meant everything to us.”

“It’s uplifted Sam. I can’t thank people enough,” he said. “There’s people that just came out of the woodwork, people I didn’t even know were there. We had people praying for her all over the world. It was crazy. I’m just so grateful for it.”

This whole dreadful experience has taught Matt what is and what is not important in life.

“The little things, the day-to-day dramas, don’t matter,” he said. “There are bigger things to worry about.”