Reema’s Story

It was a warm August afternoon when Reema, a flight attendant and mother of eight-year-old twin girls from Mumbai, dozed off on a bus headed back to New York City. She had decided to make the most of an extended layover, booking a spontaneous trip to see Niagara Falls with her relatives in the States.

“We had a good trip, I have such lovely pictures…It’s hard to look at them since the accident.”

Reema and her family – two aunts and two uncles – spent a joyful weekend together before the unthinkable happened.

“I woke up to screams. There was no time to react. I was in a state of shock.”

The bus had rolled onto its side, less than an hour outside of Buffalo on the I-90. Reema’s right arm was shattered. Her two uncles and aunt were severely injured. And her beloved aunt, Pinki, lost her life at the scene.

After 20 days in the hospital and multiple surgeries, Reema was left facing an uncertain recovery thousands of miles from home.

That’s when she found Grace House.

“Grace House has been beautiful. It’s so peaceful. The environment you get discharged to after leaving the hospital – when you come to a place that makes you feel like home – it’s a blessing.”

While staying at Grace House, Reema’s parents, who were grieving family members and worried about their daughter, were able to travel from India to be by her side as she healed. She and her parents cooked their own meals, took walks through the park, and rested in a quiet space. They were grateful for the volunteers who shuttled Reema to and from medical appointments for weeks. Each evening, Reema would video call her husband and young daughters, just waking up to start their day back home in India.

“My children miss me but I tell them that I am comfortable. The community has been really nice and we’ve made such good friends. Of course, I miss my family like crazy, but Grace House and all the people there made me comfortable.”

Nearly 50 days after the accident, Reema left Grace House to begin her journey home. Now back in India, Reema hopes to create a guest house like Grace House in her community to help families in need – proof that your compassion and support ripples across the world. 

“Every day I wake up and I thank God. I thank God and Grace House for giving me the support I needed. I will always be grateful for the warmth and care I’ve received here.”