After a car accident more than four years ago almost claimed her life, one Central Georgian has a brand new beginning.
Nicole Reed, who is from Milledgeville, had a tracheotomy tube put into her throat after her trachea was damaged by a breathing tube.
Her mother Tammy says a car wreck that nearly took her life left her with no way to talk.
"Her not being able to speak, it was just terrible," she said.
Dr. Paul Weinberger explains how she lost her voice. "What we think happened is the breathing tube, which did save her life and was put in correctly, but it's just because she had a small trachea it caused damage."
Her lips would move, but no sound would come out.
"I couldn't even go through a drive-through," said Nicole.
But now, she's found her her voice again.
"I couldn't even describe it how happy I was to know that it actually worked," said Nicole.
After dozens of surgeries and months of recovery, Nicole had a procedure done at the Medical College of Georgia that her doctor says had been done only a few times in the U.S.
"I decided to do it because I wanted so bad to have my tracheotomy out and be normal again," said Nicole.
Just two weeks ago, she woke up in the recovery room after her last ditch effort to speak again.
"My mom said when she come in and saw me in recovery I was sitting in the chair just smiling from ear to ear," said Nicole.
Her mom said, "She said 'Momma, my trachea is gone and I can talk."
A small feat for most, but life-changing for Nicole.
"I can be able to talk to people and that's the best feeling in the world," she said.
And it's even better now that she can once again tell her son how much she loves him.
Through her whole battle though, Nicole says she tried to stay positive and encourages other facing challenges to do the same.
"Don't give up," she said. "Be strong. If you want something bad enough go after it and never give up faith, because eventually it may not be when you want it to happen, but it will happen."
Nicole says now that she has her voice back she plans to finish up her education.
She says she's working on an Associate's Degree in business from Central Georgia Technical College.