SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A major car crash in Niskayuna back in April sent two women to Albany Medical Center with traumatic injuries, followed by months of rehab at the Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. Their healing journey was long, but rewarding, and they are sharing their tale of recovery.

82-year-old Ginny Corsi of Boulder, Colorado wheeled herself around the Schenectady Center Monday with a smile on her face, cracking jokes and showing off her wheelchair driving skills. When asked to recall the day she and her partner, Mary, were involved in a crash on their way to the airport after visiting family in the Capital Region, her mood shifted.

“Oh, that day. I was coming from my grandson’s basketball tournament. My daughter’s driving, we’re on Route 7, and out of nowhere comes a car straight at us in our lane,” Ginny said. “The next thing I remember is, 48 hours later I woke up. I was this blob of injuries. I did wonder if I was going to live, and I also wondered if I wanted to live.”

The driver in the other vehicle passed away. Ginny’s daughter had some injuries.

Between Ginny and 70-year-old Mary, the pair suffered multiple limb fractures, liver laceration, and aortic injury. Ginny was worse off, and she knew that.

“I thought, I’ve lived my life. I had a fabulous life, a blessed life, and a wonderful partner, and we’ve traveled all over the world, all over the U.S., and nothing ever happened, and then this happened,” Ginny said. “Why do I need to live? Why do I need to go through what I can only imagine will be the hardest thing I ever have done?”

After a month at Albany Med, Ginny and Mary underwent physical therapy and treatment at the Schenectady Center, where Ginny gives the credit to a travel Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist who pushed her to limits she wasn’t always eager to explore.

“I was very lucky that I had two young, beautiful smart therapists, because I would’ve hated them,” Ginny said, adding that while the therapy was difficult, she knew she had to power through.

“We had just as much fun with them as they did with us, even though we cried sometimes because we were in pain,” said Physical Therapist Victoria Petrushenko.

“There were days that were hard, and of course PTSD from the accident,” said Occupational Therapist Giovanna Fischera, “we didn’t forget about that.”

Following months of treatment, Mary was recently discharged, and Ginny is finally leaving Tuesday. Ginny’s leg is still braced up, and her hand is stiff, and she has more healing to do. But, she is bringing back an important piece of herself home to Boulder.

“If you’re in a big, traumatic experience, I think you do lose something. Your soul is left on Route 7 somewhere, and you’ve got to wait a little while before your soul comes and joins you,” Ginny said, adding, “I think my soul is back.”