Geralyn Ritter, Survivor of Amtrak 188 Philadelphia Shares Incredible Story

On May 12, 2015, Amtrak 188 derailed outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eight passengers were killed and over 150 were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the conductor had “lost situational awareness” and sped through the sharpest curve in the Northeast at more than double the maximum speed limit.

Geralyn was on her way home from an ordinary business trip when the accident happened. She was crushed in the crash, which killed eight and injured hundreds. Her abdominal, chest, pelvic and orthopedic injuries were overwhelming, and she was not expected to live. In a split second, she went from being a devoted mother of three boys and globe-trotting senior executive at one of America’s largest companies to an immobilized ICU patient on a ventilator facing a highly uncertain future. And for her family, the hard-charging working mom that could be counted on to shake off the jet lag of a flight from Asia and make the middle-school baseball game on time, turned into someone almost unrecognizable and completely dependent on their care.

Geralyn’s doctors use the word “miraculous” to describe her survival and recovery. Today she lives a full life inspired by gratitude and offers hope and healing to many others. She is known for her distinctive laugh that fills a room and determined resilience in the face of personal and professional challenges. 

Bone by Bone is the author’s account of suffering near-fatal injuries  and her long recovery in the years since. The forthcoming book deals honestly with the long-lasting impact of sudden trauma and offers hope – from the perspective of someone who has been there. And back.