Faith journey from accident to recovery topic of book

Thirty months ago, Stuti Jawahar was not expected to live after a serious car wreck. Twentyseven months ago, she was declared a “vegetable.” Twenty-two months ago, some deemed her physically and mentally developmentally disabled.

But 22 days after that “diagnosis,” she entered the freshman class at Centenary College. The Byrd High School student, who the community rallied around and followed on Facebook, earned a 3.5 her first semester and 3.16 the second and has completed 57 hours. She enjoys her sorority, Chi Omega, saying it makes her a better person to be among “dignified” women.

Stuti, who turned 20 last month, was connected to nine machines in the hospital. She learned to walk and eat again. She still has deficits in her left hand, which trembles. She has learned to write with her non-dominant right hand. A few months ago, she tied her shoes for the first time since the accident. She can only see out of her left eye. She drives some but not regularly.

Originally interested in history and thinking about law school, Stuti changed her major to psychology and said she does “phenomenal” in sociology. She said lawyers have to read books too much, and she doesn’t particularly like doing that. But this young girl and her father have now written one, “Thumbs Up: God’s Love Endures Forever,” available through Amazon.

Her father, Dr. Ajay Jawahar, had written scientific publications, but this book comes from his heart. He said he used some of the thoughts he would post on Facebook at 3 a.m. after 2 a.m. rounds were made to observe Stuti. The results would leave him sleepless, and he would point to a random Bible verse and post a message from that verse on Facebook.

Admittedly an “ordinary man,” he had asked people how to pray when Stuti was battling death.

Some of the first visitors at the hospital were friends who were a used car dealer and golf pro, both not particularly religious. They both had a gut feeling Stuti would be all right, that God was not going to “take this kid.” “People came together for a complete stranger,” Ajay said, those who experienced similar situations and healing years ago.

Ajay said the medical staff was very grim but compassionate. A specialist and one of Ajay’s former students who had babysat for Stuti said she was brain dead.

Stuti was rated a 4 of 15 on the Glasgow coma scale. Three indicates death. In his 15 years as a neurosurgeon, Ajay said he could count on his fingers the number who survived being a four.

For nine days, standard painful stimuli were used to try to awaken Stuti, causing bruising. Ajay said he felt bruised inside his heart.

Doctors thought Stuti had pneumonia and a blood clot in her lungs one day, but they did not show up the next day. Eventually, Stuti brought her mother’s hand to her cheek. Then she spoke. Her speech therapist, the mother of Stuti’s thenboyfriend, thought she was failing Stuti in her therapy.

After three months, Stuti had not spoken, partly because of being on a ventilator and the voice box experiencing atrophy. The therapist wanted Stuti to speak seven words by 12 o’clock after she had finally uttered three earlier in the day. At 3 p.m., the hour of mercy, Ajay prayed. He visited Stuti afterward and on the chalkboard were the words, “I love you, dad.” Stuti spoke the words when coaxed.

Fifteen days later, Stuti spoke at her high school graduation. She recently spoke at a book-signing at Centenary and to the Lions Club. Ajay said the students who had not known Stuti before college were tearing up and listening, yet trying to smile.

Ajay said he and his wife decided early on they would not leave the accident a private affair. The couple was amazed by the time people took from their lives to visit their child, pray and lay hands on her.

“We are humbled and overwhelmed by the love and support,” Ajay said.

Ajay said he learned, “God is talking. We pin our hopes to Him now. He randomly picks people to receive a miracle of mercy.

I do not discount his grace.”

–Mary Ann Van Osdell

Follow the Jawahars:

Readers can still follow posts on Facebook under “Pray for Stuti.” There are nearly 12,000 followers, and Ajay has set up an account at www.gofundme.com as the family has found itself less able to fund Stuti’s future studies.