Success Stories

Dominique Northcutt has a spark that fills the room. She is the perfect blend of humor, gratitude, and fierce determination. “I’m 31 years old” she says, “and I love great food, good people, and laughter.” She says it with the confidence of someone who has fought hard to reclaim her life.

Dominique lives with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) but refuses to let it define her. She proudly calls this chapter of her life “vindication nation”, and with a smile that goes on forever, shares “I’m striving to be my best self.” And she is winning despite the challenges she has faced.

On February 17, 2020, Dominique survived an airplane crash that left her with severe head trauma. In a coma for 6 months, Dominiques’s family never lost hope. They leaned hard into their unwavering faith when doctors said she would never talk or walk again. But Dominique is not one to accept limits.

After months in the hospital, Dominique returned home, barely responsive at the time. She was unable to speak or move. Her muscles had tightened from lack of activity- the impact of Covid on the hospital where she lived before her home was adequately prepared to meet her care needs.

Then one day everything changed. A little girl was visiting and playing with a fuzzy pink ball. Dominique’s mom encouraged the little girl to share the ball with Dominique. The little girl gave the ball to Dominique and asked her to throw it back. Dominique lifted her hand with the ball. Command after command, Dominique graduated to bigger movements, high-fives, and even writing. Her first message, two powerful words: “I’m hungry”.

Quickly after, Dominique learned to talk again. Her doctors were in shock. “She’s a miracle”! Then the trach came out, the feeding tube came out, and she immediately passed her swallowing test leading to the news she was hoping for: “She can order whatever food she wants.”

Dominique’s recovery continued to unfold through intense rehabilitation, dedication, and resiliency. She learned how to talk again. She gained strength so that she no longer needed the H-lift or sliding board she once relied on. Her perseverance journey continued through grief after losing her mother in October 2022 and her beloved grandmother in 2024. With every setback, her faith carried her. “I’ve taken a lot of L[osses]’s in my life, but I’m trying to be my best self.” she humbly shared.

Money Follows the Person (MFP) played a vital role in helping Dominique continue her healing process while receiving the right support at the right time. The program ensured that skilled caregivers and therapists could come into her home and help her rebuild her life. The program also strengthened the role of her natural support, her “second mama,” who knows Dominique best and serves as her advocate and the anchor of her recovery. MFP helped them navigate logistics, red tape, and the challenges of setting up services at home.

Most importantly, MFP gave Dominique the chance to reclaim her life in a place filled with love, faith, and purpose. It allowed her to rest in her own bed, rebuild her own routines, return to the gym, set new goals, and rediscover her identity as a determined, never-quit kind of person. Through grief, pain, and the long road back to independence, Dominique said she has been grateful and overwhelmed by the goodness around her. Her journey is far from over, but one thing is certain. Dominique is living proof that miracles are real and with resilience, gratitude, and faith the impossible can become a new beginning.