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Blindsighted isn’t just a podcast—it’s a lifeline for those walking through the darkest valleys. Hosted by Karen and Todd Hornsby, this raw and unfiltered series invites you into a story marked by unimaginable pain, loss, and suffering.
But this isn’t just about our story. It’s about YOUR story, too.
We’re not here to sugarcoat suffering or offer feel-good inspiration that fades by morning. We’re here to validate the ache, the confusion, and the questions that come when life doesn’t make sense—and when God feels far away.
The name Blindsighted is rooted in the phenomenon of “blindsight”—where people without sight are still drawn to light they cannot see. That’s what faith feels like sometimes. And in our journey, we’ve learned:
- Faith doesn’t make life easy—it makes it possible.
- Trusting God’s plan doesn’t mean understanding it.
- Victory doesn’t mean escaping suffering—it means enduring with strength, honesty, and hope.
Each episode of Blindsighted peels back the layers of our journey through our daughter’s cancer battle, a near-fatal car accident, health diagnoses, and more. We speak candidly about the moments that broke us—and the God who met us there.
If you’re walking through something that feels impossible, we want you to know: you're not alone. There’s light—even if you can’t see it yet.
Join us. Let’s find victory in the midst of suffering, together.
There are moments in life that divide everything into before and after. For me, that moment came at 19 years old. In an instant, I went from an ordinary drive down the highway to being trapped in a burning car, unsure if I'd take another breath. This episode is one of the most personal and miraculous stories I'll ever share. Today, my husband and I are telling the full story of the accident that should have taken my life and the God ordained rescue that followed.
Karen:We're talking fire, fear, and the unshakable faith that brought me through it all. Because while I was surrounded by flames, God was already moving. And he used a complete stranger, a state trooper to step into the fire and save my life. So get ready because what you're about to hear is not just my survival story. It's a story of purpose, providence, and the kind of courage that only comes from above.
Todd:So today, dear, we're gonna be focusing on an amazing story, probably one of the most impactful events of your life. Yeah. That took place literally when you were barely out of high school.
Karen:Yeah, I'm actually really excited to share this. As we were preparing for this podcast, I was thinking about the last time that I've really shared the story and the detail that we're about to share. It's been many years since we've done that. Not sure why. But but yeah, I'm looking forward to unpacking this story with everyone.
Karen:Hopefully, has the same impact for them that it does for me.
Todd:Well, I think one reason we haven't unpacked the story in a long time is we've had other stories to tell.
Karen:Yeah, that's true.
Todd:And now that by no means diminishes the impact of this story. And I hope that we present it well, I hope it's going to be really inspirational to everyone that hears it.
Karen:I do too. And I believe we will. It's remarkable what God did.
Todd:So let's kind of set the stage. Yeah. This event takes place when you're barely out of high school when you're 19 years old. What does life look like for Karen at that age?
Karen:Right. So shortly after high school, I had dreams of having my own little boutiques. I had went to school, got my certifications, all the things I needed for that. And thankfully, my parents had the means and the ability to open this little boutique for me. They opened up a little boutique in this little small country town that I lived in.
Karen:And so opened up this salon and loved it, met a lot of people, personalities, definitely shaped some things for me and my character and personality, of course, but it was good time. So that was that was what my life looked like shortly after high school.
Todd:So I've heard you tell a lot of fun stories about that time and how people would come in and get your services, get their nails done and the other things that you provided. And oh, I'm sorry, I forgot my wallet. I don't have any money. Just hold my cell phone for me or hold my driver's license for me. Yeah.
Todd:And I think at one point you had more cell phones than the Verizon store had, and more driver's license in the DMV in that small town. I know that was a that was a very interesting season. A really great season of your life.
Karen:It really was. I learned a lot. I mean, I started adulting real fast. When you open your own business, yeah, oh, reality has set in. I gotta pull it together and make this happen.
Karen:So it was very fun though. I enjoyed it.
Todd:So you were doing really well with the business and you actually started getting some, some notice from, some companies not in that small town.
Karen:That's very true. I used a particular product that seemed to like my work. And so this company reached out to me and said, hey, we love what you're doing. We're interested in seeing if you would like to become one of our cell representatives. And of course, you know, not many 19 year olds are are saying no to it.
Karen:An offer like that because I was gonna be able to travel all over the world, not world, more specifically The United States. So I was very much looking forward to that and thought, wow, what a great opportunity. Because you're right. I grew up in a very, very small town. Thinking of being able to travel like that was very, very appealing.
Karen:So I said yes fairly quickly.
Todd:So the answer was yes, yes, and yes to being able to travel all over The US. The downside to that though, you couldn't keep running your little boutique.
Karen:Yeah. That was a was a little sad because, of course, you create relationships with people and people who are listening to this that are in the industry understand what it's like. You create relationships, personal relationships with your clientele. So that was a little sad and it was fun having my own little business. But you're right.
Karen:I knew I had to make a choice. And as I had said, being able to get outside of that small town and start spreading my wings a little bit more was very attractive to me. So that's that's what I chose to do. So yes, I ended up having to close the boutique.
Todd:So next day, you're you're going back to your boutique. Yeah. Close it close it down. You know, close-up. Here are the keys to the place.
Todd:I'm moving. I'm going on to to the next chapter of my life. So Mhmm. Let's talk about that morning when you were driving Yeah. Over to your boutique boutique for the last time.
Karen:Correct. So yeah. So my dad and I were home together. I'm not I think my mom was on a trip, but it was just me me and dad there. And I still lived at home during this season.
Karen:My dad was actually there because he was getting ready to open another business of his. Our whole family is musically inclined. I grew up singing on stages from the I I can't even remember the first time that I walked on stage. I mean, I was very little. So he wanted to open a music theater.
Karen:So he did. That morning, he was on his way to that property for them to begin laying the foundation for this property. So of course, before he left, he was like, hey, call me. You know, tell me when you get there, all the things. Because, you know, I'm still I'm just out of high school.
Karen:Right? So they're still really protective of me.
Todd:So this is a really big day. I mean,
Karen:this is
Todd:this is like the you're you're getting ready to move to your next season of life. Your dad is breaking ground on this on this, you know, musical theater that has a lot of blessings in the future. So it was a day that really was impactful and had a lot of repercussions for the future.
Karen:Yeah, we were already excited for this day. There were a lot of definitely a lot of moving parts going on that day. So dad went ahead and left, headed up to the property. I finished gathering the last things that I needed before I started heading up to where my salon was located. And on the way to the salon, I'm not really sure exactly why or how this happened.
Karen:But on the way, not long after getting on Highway 79 heading towards the salon that I hit the back end of a log trailer.
Todd:Wow.
Karen:Yes. At a very high rate of speed. Again, not sure how or why, but I did. Thankfully, the log trailer was not loaded. It's definitely a blessing.
Karen:But I did hit it hard enough that it broke the back axle. Am I saying that right? Yes. Of the trailer?
Todd:That was a heavy impact.
Karen:It was yeah. Exactly. So, yeah, hit it so hard that it broke that back axle. And the crazy thing is is is upon impact, my car caught on fire.
Todd:And I know I've heard you say just to give some perspective to the car catching on fire, and then staying on fire, that particular model of BMW that you were driving, they had a recall, because when there was a frontal collision, right, the fuel pump could keep on pumping fuel, which could cause and extend a fire occurring in the Yeah,
Karen:yeah, obviously, we didn't know that at the time. But you're exactly right. That that was a recall that my parents had received a letter about shortly after
Todd:Wow.
Karen:The accident had occurred. So that does set the stage for how intense this fire was. So upon impact, unfortunately, I was not wearing my seat belt. And
Todd:It it was the nineteen nineties. It was optional.
Karen:I guess so. I'm not sure that it was, but I guess for me, I thought it was optional. So upon impact, as I said, car catches on fire, and it it knocks me out immediately. But what I remember vividly is waking up and my body was in complete survivor mode. I had no control over my body.
Karen:Well. I was hyperventilating, I guess, you know, trying to breathe. My body was trying to breathe. One of the reasons why I was struggling so hard to breathe is this type of car, it was it was a two door BMW that when the door would slightly open, the window would would crack. It would
Todd:it would let down a
Karen:little bit. Yeah. It would let down a little bit. And apparently, when I hit the log trailer, it caused the door to come open a little bit, making that door I mean, the window crack some. So all of the smoke was barreling out of this window right in my face.
Karen:It was just so intense.
Todd:But thank God the window would did let down. Yeah. So at least some of the some of the
Karen:Some of that was going out.
Todd:You said the carbon monoxide. Right? All the so at least there was a way for it to get out instead of all of it going into your lungs.
Karen:Yeah. Well, yeah, that's that's very true. And of course, when I'm waking up, I'm like, what's happening? You know, what's going on? I'm sure people who are listening that have been in accidents like this can relate.
Karen:When you've been knocked unconscious and you were, you know, at one moment driving down the road and the next you're like, what's happening? I feel something hot around me. I can barely breathe. I can't move my body. It was so crazy weird.
Todd:So you're in you're in this car that's burning. Okay? And you're trying to get out but you're disoriented. You're in and out of consciousness. Smoke is in the car.
Todd:Some of it's getting out. You're you're trying to breathe and it's a mess. Yeah. Okay. So that's you inside the burning car.
Todd:What about the people outside like the guy whose truck you hit and other people coming up on the accident? What are they doing?
Karen:Right. From what I was told, the driver of the truck did attempt to get me out of the car. Unfortunately, when he went to to try to get me out of the car, the impact basically, like, sealed the door shut. He could not get the door to open. And as you had pointed out, the fire was so intense, He just stopped because he was in fear of his own life.
Karen:He was like, I can't do this anymore. I I gotta go because this, you know, this car could explode at any any moment now. There were, of course, other people that had, you know, driven up on the accident at this point, watching and looking what's going on. But, again, these these witnesses were too scared for their own life to try to go get me out. And I can't imagine what was going through their minds as they were just sitting there watching this occur, knowing someone was in that car.
Karen:Sure. But they couldn't get her out.
Todd:So basically, the the stage you've set is you're in the car, it's burning, people have tried to help you at least one person, they can't get you out there in fear for their safety. So basically, you're about to burn alive in this car, and you're going to have witnesses to see it.
Karen:That's exactly right. Yeah. So
Todd:party over for Karen. Yeah. Life you're you're about to burn alive.
Karen:But God. But God. So I must have been back out of it because one of the next big moments that I remember was someone screaming in my left ear, grab me. Grab me. We gotta get out.
Karen:We gotta get out. Grab me. Grab me. We gotta get out. And I could feel the urgency in his voice.
Karen:So I'm trying to throw my left arm over his shoulder, and I think he may have grabbed it and threw it over his shoulder as well. And it hurt because that's when I learned something was wrong with my left hand. So he reaches in and grabs me, runs across the street and he lays me on the side of the road, on the shoulder of the road. And I don't know how much longer after that, but shortly after he lays me on the side of the road, my car did explode.
Todd:Wow. So literally, it this is shaping up like some kind of action scene out of a Hollywood movie. So and somehow this man, nobody else could, but this man, whoever he may be, is able to open the car door, get you out, run across the street with you. And just maybe a few seconds later, the car explodes.
Karen:Correct.
Todd:To such a degree that when it explodes because the that fuel pump is still pumping fuel. Right. And this thing is an inferno. It explodes and the car leaves the ground, falls back down and burns to such a degree that the wheels Yeah. Melted into the blacktop.
Todd:That's correct. To the asphalt. Yeah. That's That is amazing.
Karen:Yeah. That's exactly what happened. And in these cars specifically, the battery is in the trunk of the car. And one of the reasons why they put it in the trunk of the car is to keep, you know, from explosions like this happening. So to think about the fire having reached the battery now in the back of the car, And I had just gotten out of it.
Todd:And that's in, know, thank God the battery was in the back of the car because in the 1990s, nowadays, they put the batteries everywhere. But in the 1990s, almost every vehicle, the battery was going to be in the front. So if it would have been in the front, this would, you
Karen:know,
Todd:would be a different story.
Karen:Yeah, absolutely. It'd be a different story. So yeah, it had had reached the trunk, the car explodes. And then at that moment, because debris was just flying everywhere, the state trooper who pulls me out of the car
Todd:So he was a state trooper?
Karen:Was a state trooper.
Todd:Okay.
Karen:His name is Milton Brown. He comes back to the shoulder of the road. He's like, I gotta move you. I gotta move you. There's just tar debris just flying everywhere.
Karen:So he moves moves me further down the road. And I'll tell you, Todd, I was I was desperate, scared to death, of course, still trying at this point to gather what just happened. And I remember my mama saying, when you didn't know what to pray, just say Jesus.
Todd:Absolutely.
Karen:Just say Jesus. And that is all I could say at that point.
Todd:Sure. So the car has exploded. There's debris everywhere. The state trooper who saved you has moved you a time or two. So basically, this was just chaos.
Todd:It was. Sure chaos. Finally, the EMTs arrive. And from what you had told me, on the way there, they received word that the person driving the vehicle had passed away, the car is on fire, that person is dead. So that's what they're expecting when they pull up.
Todd:And then once they get there, and they see this vehicle, and by this point, it has burned down to the metal. It's not even recognizable.
Karen:Correct.
Todd:So they're thinking this person is absolutely dead, or at best, you are burned beyond recognition.
Karen:Yeah. I wish my sweet dad was here to kinda share his side of this story as well because it goes along to further your point about how it was whoever called 911 just went ahead and said, hey. This car's engulfed in flames, and whoever's in there is gone. Sure. There's just no way they're alive.
Karen:So my dad was again at the property that we were building this music theater on. While he's there, ambulances and deputies are flying by at an incredible high rate of speed given the impression, of course, something bad has happened up the road. So unfortunately for my parents, they have already experienced the loss of a child in an accident. In 1976, my brother and my sister that I never got to meet were in a horrible automobile accident. And as a result of it, my sister passed away.
Karen:My brother survived, but my sister did pass away and it was it was a DUI driver that hit him head on. So they were already traumatized and always on the edge due to having already lost a child in a automobile accident. So when these deputies are flying by at such a high rate of speed, he knows something bad's happened. And the first thing that comes to his mind is where's Karen?
Todd:Sure.
Karen:So he hops in the truck and back then we had the bag phones. Remember those? The brick bag And they had one in my car. So dad calls my number and of course I don't answer. Because I don't answer, he drives down to the local convenience store.
Karen:And at the local convenience store was a deputy. He said, sir, do you mind telling me what's happened up the road? I've got a I've got a daughter heading this way and I just I just want to make sure that's not her. And he says, sir, I don't know, you know, who it is or, you know, or who's in the accident or what's went down, but I do know it's a really bad fatal accident. Whoever was in the vehicle didn't make it.
Karen:Really rough for my dad at that moment until he could get ahold of me. He he actually stops at a second convenience store because he saw another deputy. Same story. So he was like, this is the direction my daughter's coming in. She's not answering the phone.
Karen:She's not made it this way yet. I'm going to see where she's at. So he drives up on the accident. And as you have already said, at this point, the car was melted all the way down to the frame. He later told me the only way that he could recognize that that was my car was the wheels that he and my mom had purchased for my car.
Karen:He knew that was my car based off of those wheels that as you had said melted into the asphalt.
Todd:So by the time your dad gets there, you're already in the ambulance. And I and I don't I wanna hear some of your thoughts on what the EMTs had to say about the situation. So you're in the ambulance, your dad runs up there, he sees you in the ambulance.
Karen:Yeah. God bless him. He was it was he was living out his nightmare at that point. And I remember him fighting to try to get in the ambulance and I was screaming, dad, dad, I'm okay. But one of the things that I do want to point out, you're right, we need to mention this.
Karen:The EMTs thought whoever was in this vehicle was gone. Absolutely. So when they see me on the side of the highway, and there's really no evidence that they can see that I was in that car, I could see utter shock on their face. I thought she was dead. Like or as you said, I would have at least seen things to prove to me she was the one in that car.
Todd:Sure. Because because you were just in a burning vehicle, And you weren't burned, your hair wasn't singed. Of course, you had tar on your face from being in the vehicle. Yeah. But other than as you said, your hand actually had got very injured in the wreck.
Todd:Beyond that, no no damages, no injuries as a result of the fire. The fire did not touch you.
Karen:That is exactly right. When I get in the ambulance, they are examining my entire body like there is just no way that she does not have burns somewhere. There's she was surrounded by flames. How can she not be burned? How can not a hair on her head be singed?
Karen:I as you said, I did crush my left hand. And then the next step was taking me to the hospital.
Todd:Well, but before we get there though, I I know you said one really impactful statement. I know the EMT had told your dad, she's good. She's fine. She's good. A miracle.
Karen:Oh, yeah.
Todd:Has taken place. Yes. So literally, the EMTs were already feeling the presence of God saying, hey, we know this is God. The only way this could could have occurred is it it's a God thing.
Karen:Yeah, it was incredible. I have no words to describe it other than, again, it was a miracle that I was alive and not the evidence of at all of me having been surrounded by flames this So
Todd:now you're you go to the hospital.
Karen:I go to the hospital and once they begin to learn that I was stable and there was no imminent danger, One of the huge moments was as they were washing my face off and, you know, asking me to, you know, tell them what all had happened, what was hurting, all the things. I remember the doctor whispering to me saying, sweetheart, you should have died just from the amount of carbon monoxide that you inhaled.
Todd:Wow.
Karen:Yeah. There's no reason you should be alive. You should have died just from that. And I I didn't fully understand at that point what he was saying and what all this meant. And, of course, now sitting here and telling the story all over again even more, I understand the significance of this day and the the miracle that took place on this day.
Karen:But I thank God that he did use this moment to impact not just my life, but a lot of lives.
Todd:Sure. And as as I'm hearing this story, and I've heard it so many times, you know, when when we first, met each other, and I began to know you and your your family, I would hear this story, people would ask to hear it, you would share it at churches or other events where you were speaking at. And every time I would hear it, I'm like, wow, this is like this is like a story out of the Bible. Mean, this is like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. I mean, you know, they they were in the fiery furnace and the flames did not hurt them.
Todd:But just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in their fiery furnace, Jesus was in there with them. He was the fourth man. So he was the second man in your fiery furnace. He was in that burning car with you. He absolutely was.
Todd:So I know next week, you're gonna have Milton Brown on to share his story because there's so much more
Karen:There is.
Todd:To this story. Right now, it's already been a miraculous miracle. And everybody, even the doctors, the paramedics, everyone is saying yes, a miracle has occurred. But there's still more to the story we're gonna get to next week. And I'm super excited about sharing the full story.
Todd:We're only sharing part of it now. But as we're sharing this, you know, I realized most people won't ever be in a burning car, you know, but the flames and the difficulty of life that they're going to have to go through is still going to be intense. So what can you say to those people having been in a burning car? What can you say to people when they've got their own life stories and difficulties that they're trying to navigate?
Karen:Such a great question. Because figuratively and spiritually, physically, all of those, we've all been in the middle of the fire. And it's no fun. It's fearful. It's scary.
Karen:All the emotions get involved, and you get desperate real fast. But one of the biggest things that I walked away with this one specifically, and again, I was at such a young age, you know, the way it ministers to me now is a little different than it minister to me then. Right? You know, all of our seasons, all these different stories and things that we go through, I think do have different messages for us depending on what season of life we're in. But I remember at that moment thinking, again, a young Christian, knowing the stories of the Bible and and believing that they're true, but thinking, yeah, God just don't move like that anymore.
Karen:Sure. Yeah. He doesn't he doesn't perform miracles like that now. I mean, yeah, I believe he did it back then, but, you know, I just don't know that God would move like that ever again. So God said, well, I'll show you that I can.
Todd:And that that brings up scripture. Just I've gotta read this. It so perfectly goes with everything we're talking about and everything we've said with your story. It's in Isaiah 43 verse one through three. And it says, but now this is what the Lord says, he who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel, do not fear for I have redeemed you.
Todd:I have summoned you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.
Todd:The flames will not set you ablaze for I am the Lord your God, the holy one of Israel, your savior. So and that and that scripture says over and over, you belong to me, and I'm with you. You belong to me. I'm with you. So when the devil comes in in this in this situation like a fire, but when normally when the devil comes in like a flood, Jesus raises up a standard.
Karen:That's
Todd:right. So this accident took you completely by surprise. It didn't take God by surprise. And there again, the world would say, it's over. You're in the car.
Todd:Nobody's gonna rescue you. And I know we fight a spiritual battle, so I I I often think in my mind's eye, there were however many demons high fied each other. We got her this time. She is done. But God.
Todd:So God sent that state trooper, Milton Brown, your way. He had an assignment because you still had work to do for God. You still had an assignment. That's right. So even when the world says it's over, it's hopeless, it's helpless, God is always on time.
Todd:Not our time, but on his time.
Karen:Absolutely. When we think it's done, it's over. As you've already articulated, in the world's point of view, it is. It's done. Sure.
Karen:There's no way of getting out of this. That's what's so miraculous about God. He likes to work when nothing else will, and he is so good about doing that so that we don't try to take the credit for what God's done.
Todd:Amen.
Karen:Yes. So I'm really excited. Next week, we're gonna have special guest, my guardian angel, Milton Brown, who we have talked about today. So as you said, there is definitely another side to the story, and it's his side of the story. I've asked him if he wouldn't mind coming on the podcast and and sharing, and and thankfully, is willing to do that.
Karen:So next week, we're gonna ask him some questions. And I I'm really looking forward to it because I did travel with him shortly after this accident to certain events and things to share the story because it was such big news at this time. People wanted to hear it. And I remember sitting back on stages and listening to him tell his side of the story, which was like, oh my god, that really happened? So please tune in next week.
Karen:You're not gonna wanna miss him share what led up to this accident for him. So I am I'm really looking forward to him sharing.
Todd:It's going to be a great episode. I know the story and I can't wait. It just just illustrates when life is its darkest, when situations are their darkest Mhmm. And you're going through the worst time of your life, in that darkness, that's when God's light shines the brightest.
Karen:That's right. That's exactly right. Yeah. So next, next week, tune in. Set your alarms.
Karen:Do all the things that you need to do to make sure you're tuning in on Monday morning. That's when we always release our podcast. Be sure to follow us on all of our social media platforms. You can find us at blindsidedpodcast. You can also find us on our website at blindsidedpodcast.com.
Karen:And do remember, it's blindsided b l I n d s I g h t e d. We would love for you to reach out to us. If you need prayer, if you wanna share your story with us, we would love to hear what God's done for you. If you're going through the fire, we wanna pray for you. We wanna walk this out with you.
Karen:Lot of the reason we're doing this podcast is to take our suffering and our pain and what we've been through to help others walk through theirs. So please do reach out to us. We would love to hear from you.
Todd:Because you're not alone. You're definitely not alone.
Karen:Looking back, I realized that day could have easily been my last. But by the grace of God, it wasn't. A total stranger became a lifeline. And what could have been a tragedy became a testimony. I didn't just survive.
Karen:I was rescued for a reason. And I believe that reason is unfolding even now as you listen to this story. Next week, you'll hear from the state trooper who showed up against all odds. The man who bent metal with his bare hands and defied fear to save a stranger. But it's how he ended up at that very place at that exact moment that will leave no room for coincidence.
Karen:Trust me, you will not want to miss his side of the story.