From Broken to Whole, New I Am Second Short Film Shares One Man’s Powerful Story of Finding Identity and Purpose

Accident Survivor and Amputee Darrin Ray Tells All in New ‘White Chair Film’

DALLAS, July 8, 2020 – Born with a bilateral cleft palate, Darrin Ray experienced bullying growing up, which left him bitter and lonely. Most of his life, he felt out of place and without hope. But now, in the newest White Chair film from storytelling organization I Am Second available now on iamsecond.com, he’s opening up about how he became whole, following a near-death accident that would forever change him.

After experiencing a difficult childhood, Ray was at a point where he finally felt secure in life. He was happily married, living in California with his wife and one child and earning a stable income. That all changed when a drunk driver collided head-on into his car. This crash caused injuries that took 20 years off Ray’s life, resulted in his leg being amputated and completely broke his spirit.

“I knew I needed to forgive him [the driver], but I didn’t want to,” said Ray. “I wanted him to suffer like he made me suffer."

Although he’d grown up going to church, he felt like God had forsaken him. The assurance from his friends that God had a good plan on his life felt trite.

But through the regular encouragement from a chaplain dedicated to helping him hope again, Ray realized that he could still serve a purpose despite his injuries.

“Limb loss is not equivalent to life loss,” said Ray. “Out of my despair, God brought me hope. At first, I wanted to die. But now, I want to live.”

During rehab, Ray found out that the driver was sent to jail, and he was awarded $2.5 million in restitution. During the restitution hearing, Ray surprised the judge with a request that would ultimately impact both his and the driver’s life.

To watch Ray’s full I Am Second film, visit iamsecond.com/darrinray.

About I Am Second

I Am Second is a non-profit that ignites hope and inspires people to live for something greater than themselves. Launched in 2008, the iamsecond.com website features powerful short films of athletes, actors, models, musicians, cultural influencers and everyday people who have found hope through a relationship with Jesus. Watch their stories and find out more at iamsecond.com.

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