Piedmont throws graduation party for Columbus patient after near-fatal accident
When Mirna Balakumar was rushed to Piedmont Columbus Regional’s midtown hospital April 12 after being struck by a car while crossing the street, doctors weren’t sure she would survive. It had been only three days since she earned her master’s degree from Indiana University, and now she was fighting for her life.
Ten weeks later, Balakumar celebrated defying the odds — walking, talking and reclaiming her independence after overcoming multiple life-threatening injuries. To recognize her recovery, the hospital staff threw her a surprise graduation party Wednesday morning.
“There’s so many people here I never expected. [I’m] speechless,” Balakumar told the Ledger-Enquirer. “I don’t even know most of the people, but everybody has come and helped me. They celebrated my graduation day. … It’s really exciting.”
Once confined by tubes, lines and drains, Balakumar wheeled into the party with only an IV and a smile, becoming emotional as hospital staff gave her a standing ovation. She was presented with her diploma — a long-awaited celebration for the hybrid student who completed her degree in information technology.
Balakumar said her team has been extremely supportive, and her recovery is going well. Her medical providers are hoping to discharge her within the next week or two.
Medical team
Balakumar’s healing process was a team effort, with several departments involved in her care. Her medical team expressed pride in her swift recovery and perseverance.
“It’s really a miracle,” Levie Jones, a nurse practitioner with the trauma team at Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “It’s really just so inspiring to see that she has had success and that she’s regained a lot of her strength and that she continues to show improvement every day.”
On Tuesday, Balakumar walked 75 feet — a huge milestone after being bedridden a few weeks before. She also has recovered from cardiac arrest, kidney failure, back-to-back cardiothoracic and gastroenterology surgeries and extensive physical therapy.
“Just seeing the progress that she makes every day really inspires the medical community and many of us to keep doing our jobs because it gives us purpose,” Jones said. “It took a village, and the village came together and gave her the support that she needed.”
Piedmont kidney specialist Manoj Patel called Balakumar’s progress “unbelievable” and said her recovery and graduation celebration was a proud moment for the hospital.
Aubry Gray, a registered nurse at Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown, said watching Balakakumar go from being nearly immobile to being able to complete daily tasks on her own made her job worth it. She grew emotional as she recounted the moment when Balakumar got her personality back.
“You could always see the fire. But when she started really speaking and talking and communicating, she was just feisty,” Gray told the Ledger-Enquirer. “She never gave up. She pushed hard — probably harder than she should at times. That’s just her.”
Balakumar’s determination shocked many medical professionals who weren’t sure what her life and future would look like. They referred to her as a “fighter” several times throughout the graduation ceremony. But more than that, they reflected on how Balakumar’s story had deeply impacted them.
“The journey itself has been amazing and tough at the same time,” Gray said. “As much as I’ve wanted to heal her, she’s healed parts of me and taught me things.”
Family
Balakumar moved to Columbus alone in January. After the accident, her husband, V. Balakumar, left India for the first time to support her. He called April 12 her second birthday, saying she had received a second life thanks to the “unconditional support” of the medical team.
“How do you get to repay for that?” he said while addressing hospital staff during a speech at the party. “If someone else needed help, … I will do it. That is the only [way] I can repay for the service you have done here … because she is my whole world.”
Balakumar said her plans for the future are still uncertain. First, she will return to India to be with her daughter and the rest of her family and take some time to continue healing. If everything goes smoothly, she said, she might return to the United States. One thing is certain, though: She always will have a community in Columbus ready to welcome her back.
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM.