One year ago today, Esther had nearly completed running errands for the day when she saw police lights in her rear-view mirror and slowed into the right lane on I-94 eastbound near the Hwy. 164 exit. A moment later, she felt a tremendous impact as her car was struck from behind, which sent her silver 2010 Toyota RAV4 flying toward the ditch, flipping it at least four times before it landed on its wheels. And her life would never be the same. 

The young man who crashed his car into hers was fleeing a Waukesha police officer who saw him speeding on Grandview Blvd. and attempted to pull him over. Skyler Coe, now age 21, had more at stake than a simple speeding ticket. He was smoking a blunt while driving and had other drugs in the car. If he had been caught, his bail would have been revoked for a charge in Milwaukee of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. 

Just 10 days ago, on October 18, 2024, Coe received a plea deal for three felonies he committed that day: first-degree recklessly endangering safety, injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, and eluding an officer causing great harm. Five other charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal. Waukesha Circuit Judge William Domina sentenced Coe to four years in prison with credit for a year he has already served since the crash, plus three years of probation. 

Unfortunately, 75-year-old Esther will continue to suffer far longer than Coe, with 13 broken bones that have not all fully healed. Her injuries included: 

• Two fractures in the right arm that required surgical implantation of a metal plate and six screws. This surgery was repeated in August 2024 because the arm was not healing properly. 
• One fracture in the left arm that required surgical implantation of a metal plate and 13 screws. This arm has permanent loss of function and recently required additional treatment to help advance healing. If this treatment is unsuccessful, this arm will require bone graft surgery in a few months.
• Broken clavicle
• Three broken bones in her face, including her nose
• Four broken ribs
• Two pelvic fractures
• Torn ligaments in her neck and right foot
• A four-inch gash in the back of her head, a gash above her right eye and a slash through her nose, plus numerous other cuts and bruises all over her body

Esther’s badly broken arms are still not fully healed and she may need a bone graft surgery in a few months as her recovery slowly continues. 

Life Turned Upside Down

After the crash, Esther was taken by ambulance to Froedtert Hospital, where her survival was uncertain. She recalls her doctor said it was a miracle she survived. After 12 days, it was time to return home, which presented challenges that Esther and her husband Peter found overwhelming. Esther was unable to cook or clean, as she was accustomed, and required around-the-clock care from Peter. 

Their home is built into a hill and has 16 stairs to get from one level to the other, which seemed like a mountain now. How would Esther navigate them with chronic vertigo and two broken arms that made it impossible for her to hold a railing or catch herself if she lost her balance? 

Peter flew into action, immediately abandoning his full-time volunteer obligations and taking on all household duties, plus caregiving for Esther. In addition, Esther is the healthcare power of attorney for her brother, who has a brain tumor and resides in an assisted living facility, so Peter had to take on his care as well. And then, Peter’s doctor diagnosed him with a terminal heart condition. It was a dark time.

For about 12 hours a day, Peter cared for Esther, took her to doctor and physical therapy appointments, managed his own care needs and also her brother’s care. He studied medical reports for each of them, set up schedules and spreadsheets to manage everything, and somehow kept his head above water as they weathered the storm. 

Esther’s pain was unimaginable, not just in the early days, but also through months of physical therapy. She remains restricted to lifting only four pounds, and still cannot reach the upper shelves in the refrigerator or pantry due to the permanent damage to her arms. 

Progress is Slow, but Hope Springs Eternal

Prior to the crash, Esther walked 10 miles per week and attended fitness classes three days a week. She has recently started walking again and is hopeful that someday she will be able to get back to her 10-mile goal. 

Earlier this month, Esther drove a car for the first time since the crash. She doesn’t know if she will ever be able to drive on I-94 again as she has anxiety riding as a passenger on highways, but she is hopeful to one day be able to run errands alone again, as she was on that fateful day one year ago. 

Esther and Peter are grateful that the court proceedings are now over so they can finally regain custody of their destroyed car that has been impounded as evidence over the past year. They are hoping they might be able to find personal items lost in the crash, which may be wedged somewhere in the car’s remains. Then, they can finally receive payment for the car from their auto insurance company.

They are also hoping Esther’s massive medical bills will be resolved sooner than later as Medicare is seeking repayment for $100,000 of the costs from their auto insurance company. They’re worried that they may be asked to repay all medical expenses if the matter is not resolved between the two companies. 

Surviving on Faith

Through it all, Esther and Peter relied heavily on their strong faith and their friends in the church. 

Esther recalls thinking as her car was tumbling through the air during the crash, “This is interesting. I wonder what God’s going to do with this.” She was at total peace, knowing that God had a plan. She believes it is a miracle not only that she survived but also that her brain and spinal cord were spared injury despite the violence she endured. 

During our interview, she only became emotional when speaking about the incredible outpouring of kindness and care that her church community and neighbors provided after she returned home from the hospital. The church members showed up to physically carry her wheelchair up the stairs into their home and quickly sourced and installed a stair lift to ensure her safety during her recovery. The church members provided meals for them every single day for four months.  

At Coe’s sentencing hearing, Esther provided a heartbreaking victim impact statement that detailed all the horrific details of her suffering over the past year. Then, she addressed Coe directly and said:

“The last year of my life is lost, never to be regained. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t relive the crash, and not an hour goes by in which I am not impacted by it. I am the one paying the price for your decisions. I am suffering permanent pain and loss of function. That being said, I want you to know I have forgiven you. I have forgiven you because I am a Christian. As a Christian, God commands me to forgive even my enemies.”

She told him that he must be accountable to both the laws of society and to God, and that she hopes he uses his time in prison to gain the skills to become a productive member of society. Then she stated, “I want you to know God loves you. You were created in His image. You have great value to the One who created you.” She cited scripture, and then concluded, “I will be praying for you.”

Editor’s note: Esther and her husband asked that we protect their identity for safety reasons, so we are using the pseudonyms that they requested.