Sarah Milburn has rebuilt her life since a 2015 rideshare crash left her paralyzed. Now, the Park Cities native is working to help others with similar injuries rebuild theirs.
“I believe that this happened to me for a reason,” Milburn said, “and I’m here to make a difference.”
Her advocacy is the focus of a new film, Living in the Wake of Impact, which includes footage of her parents’ Park Cities home and other locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The documentary’s director, Sarah Moshman, called Milburn a “beautiful example of the power of the human spirit.”
“I was just absolutely blown away by Sarah and all that she does every single day to get stronger physically, but also the way that she helps others through mentorship and sharing her story,” Moshman said. “She’s just such a joyful, optimistic person.”
Today, Milburn is a volunteer at the Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation, the same hospital where she was treated, providing advice and comfort to people learning to live with paralysis.
“I mentor them if they’re newly injured, navigate them through their new injury, and what their new life is going to look like,” she said.
She’s also served on the board of the Neuro Assistance Foundation and has been a peer mentor for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation since 2016, where she assists others with spinal cord injuries around the world.
Milburn co-designed the first wheelchair-accessible Tesla Model X in the U.S. The vehicle she helped create has since been used around the country and received Veterans Affairs approval. She’s also shared her story with groups including the Texas Bar Association and a committee of the Texas Legislature.
In the Park Cities, Milburn has advocated to ensure sidewalks, intersections, and businesses are wheelchair accessible. Her efforts have led to the installation of a handicap crosswalk at the intersection of Preston Road and Lovers Lane.
She also has founded a Dallas-area Paralympic swim team. Milburn herself had the second-best American time in the 50-meter backstroke competition in 2019.
“She has a reputation as a fearless problem solver in the (spinal cord injury) community,” said Sarah’s father, John.
Milburn’s efforts don’t stop with assisting others facing paralysis. She also dedicates 15 to 20 hours per week to volunteering with local dog rescue group DallasDoggrrr.
In a case that reached the Supreme Court of Texas and made headlines, Milburn pursued civil litigation against the manufacturer of the vehicle where she was a passenger. A jury found Milburn should receive about $37 million in damages, but the state’s highest court determined that no evidence supported the jury’s award and reversed it.
The film about Milburn’s journey as a quadriplegic was commissioned by LegalMed180, an organization that seeks to bring people in law, healthcare, and policy together to improve outcomes for those experiencing health issues.
“The number of people involved and the professionalism of the production was great but a little overwhelming,” John said. “We are extremely pleased and proud of Sarah’s impact and accomplishments.”
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