Tragedy Befalls Miami College Sophomore During Night Out; Grieving Mother Offers Warning to Other Parents
One sunny morning in August, Shawnee Baker was sailing off the coast of Maine, sipping coffee and eagerly awaiting a reply from her college-freshman daughter, Baylie Grogan. Little did she know, her life was about to take a tragic turn.
A phone call from a Florida police officer interrupted her tranquil day, delivering the news that would shatter her world. Baylie had been in a horrific accident, and Shawnee and her husband needed to hurry to Miami.
Worried about spotty network at sea, Shawnee couldn't reach Baylie, and the last text she had sent bounced back. "Good morning, sweetie. How was your night?" it read. Shawnee would soon learn the devastating answer to that question.
The bleak conversation with the police officer revealed that Baylie was in the hospital and Shawnee might be saying her final goodbyes. As a former trauma nurse, Shawnee knew the gravity of the situation when she saw the images of her daughter tangled in tubes and covered in bruises.
As Baylie lay in the ICU, her head swollen like a basketball due to brain swelling, Shawnee struggled against the hospital's refusal to involve her in medical decisions because Baylie was legally an adult. The hospital had appointed a guardian to make medical decisions, complicating matters further.
In the emotional and grueling struggle that followed, Shawnee discovered that once her daughter turned 18, she had lost the right to access medical records or make decisions on Baylie's behalf, even though she paid for the health insurance and was listed as next of kin. To have a say in her daughter's medical care, Shawnee needed to have a health care proxy, a document that Baylie had neglected to sign.
Despite the heart-wrenching ordeal, Shawnee found solace in her grief and a mission to educate other parents about the importance of preparing for their children's medical care. Her book, "Baylie," tells her daughter's story, and proceeds will benefit the Baylie's Wish Foundation, an organization that advocates for college student safety and educates parents on health care proxies.
The Bakers also partnered with the 3rd-i tracking app, which offers added security for rideshares and public outings. With this app, users can share live video, audio, location, and destination with trusted contacts. Shawnee believes that the app could have helped keep Baylie safe on that fateful night.
- Shawnee's interest in health-and-wellness expanded beyond sailing when her daughter, Baylie, found herself in a hospital after an accident.
- In the midst of fitness-and-exercise routines, Shawnee found herself fighting for her daughter's life and dignity, a battle that required mental-health strength.
- Education-and-self-development took a different shape for Shawnee as she learned about the importance of health care proxies.
- personal-growth was a byproduct of Shawnee's experience, as she turned her tragedy into a mission to inform and protect others.
- career-development for the Baker family led them to collaborate with the 3rd-i tracking app, focusing on the safety of rideshares and public outings.
- The general-news of Baylie's accident sparked a conversation about the importance of parental involvement in college student safety.
- In the realm of sports, Shawnee wished her daughter could have enjoyed her love for NCAA basketball, but instead, the story of their family serves as a reminder of the potential dangers even in seemingly safe settings, like accidents and crime-and-justice incidents can occur.
