BILLINGS — Last May, 39-year-old and mother to three, Lachelle Pickett, was on her way home to Crow Agency when she was hit head-on by a drunk driver.
Pickett's life was miraculously saved from the devastating car accident thanks to healthcare workers in Billings.
On Saturday, Pickett returned to Billings to celebrate and thank the healthcare team that saved her life that fateful night.
See Pickett greet healthcare professionals at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings for the first time since her car accident, in the video below:
It was the day before Pickett's birthday on May 3, 2024, when she was headed from Hardin to Crow Agency to pick up dinner for her three children.
"My memory started when I was being loaded up on the back of an ambulance taking (me) to the rehab hospital. That's all I remember," Pickett said Saturday.
That's all Pickett remembers from that day. Pickett said she was able to fill in the details about the day's events thanks to family and friends. What Pickett doesn't remember is the accident itself and the events leading up to the accident.
According to Pickett's family and friends, Pickett, her significant other, and her brother-in-law were hit head-on by a drunk driver. Pickett was the only survivor of the accident.
"I wish they were here today. I do everyday," she said.
According to Lisa Foley, the trauma services manager at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, Pickett was pronounced dead on the scene. It was when a first responder checked on Pickett that they realized she was still breathing. Pickett was immediately transferred to the Billings hospital via a medical helicopter.
"Lachelle was very broken. She had severe head injuries. She had a broken femur," said Foley. "There's always hope, and miracles do happen."
Pickett refers to herself as "a walking miracle," considering the severe injuries she overcame. After three months of physical therapy, Pickett was able to return back to work. She says she still has mild and moderate pain in her left leg and face, but it's manageable.
"It was hard... learning how to walk again," she said.
On Saturday, Pickett greeted the healthcare team that brought her back to life. According to Foley, at least 15 healthcare professionals helped save Pickett's life throughout her eight-hour surgery and time in the hospital.
"If it wasn't for them going into action, who knows where I would be," said Pickett.
"To have her come back and walk in, and hug us was amazing ... Lachelle's story just reinforces why we are here and why we do what we do," said Foley. "That hug was worth a thousand hugs."
Following Pickett's car accident, she's now an advocate against drunk driving and encourages viewers to keep a close eye on family and friends after events involving alcohol.
"If you see someone drunk, take the keys," said Pickett.
