After a catastrophic motorcycle crash, Christine Sabel survived multiple surgeries, rebuilt her life, and now inspires others through resilience.
Updated July 1, 2026
Christine Sabel’s Journey from Trauma to Recovery
A Shared Passion Ends in Tragedy
Christine Sabel and her boyfriend, Ken, bonded over their love of motorcycles after meeting in 2017. In June 2021, a mechanical malfunction turned one of their rides into a life-threatening tragedy.
At a freeway interchange, Chris was thrown from her motorcycle, struck a guardrail, and was impaled before landing in a ravine nearly 50 feet away. The crash caused devastating injuries throughout her body.
First Responders Save Her Life
Ken immediately sought help from passing motorists. One of those who stopped was Ryan Jasinsky, a Westlake police officer at the time. He quickly applied tourniquets to Chris’s severely injured arm and leg. A MetroHealth pediatric trauma surgeon and an off-duty state trooper also stopped to assist.
Just minutes away, MetroHealth’s Level 1 Adult Trauma Center prepared for her arrival.
A Race Against Time
When trauma surgeon Laura Kreiner, MD, and her team assessed Chris, they found extensive injuries, including:
- Broken pelvis
- Broken leg
- Severely damaged arm
- Torn thigh
- Broken ribs
- Deep abdominal and chest wounds
Chris was rushed into emergency surgery. Dr. Kreiner’s team stabilized life-threatening chest and intestinal injuries, beginning a series of more than a dozen operations in the days that followed.
Complex Surgeries and Limb-Saving Care
Saving Chris’s arm and leg became a major focus of her treatment.
Four surgeries—including one lasting nearly seven hours—were required to repair her right arm. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon David Rowe, MD, worked alongside orthopedic surgeon Adrienne Lee, MD, to preserve tissue and create a foundation for future breast reconstruction.
At the same time, orthopedic surgeon Ari D. Levine, MD, led efforts to save Chris’s leg.
“Our goal was to do everything we could to allow her to keep her leg.”
The team succeeded.
Compassion Beyond Clinical Care
Five days after her accident, Chris awoke in MetroHealth’s Trauma ICU and began meeting the caregivers who would become an important part of her recovery.
Among them was Monica Cvelbar, RN, her primary nurse, who spent countless hours at her bedside while also comforting her family. After Chris’s breathing tube was removed, Monica surprised her with an “ICU spa day,” including her first hair washing since the accident.
A Recovery Fueled by Determination
After three weeks at MetroHealth, Chris transferred to a long-term acute care hospital and later an inpatient rehabilitation facility closer to home. She finally returned home on September 7, 2021.
A few months later, Dr. Rowe successfully performed reconstructive breast surgery.
By May, Chris had returned to work full-time. Through rigorous physical and occupational therapy, she steadily regained strength and independence.
“I made it my mission to get better,” she said.
Continued Healing Years Later
Recovery did not end when Chris left the hospital.
In November 2022, Dr. Lee performed tendon transfer surgery on Chris’s right hand, requiring additional occupational therapy to restore flexibility and grip strength.
Then, in February 2026, Chris underwent a complex 12-hour abdominal wall reconstruction to repair a massive hernia that developed following her original injuries and surgeries.
Rebuilding Form and Function
Surgeon Amelia Dorsey, MD, with assistance from Dr. Kreiner, performed the intricate reconstruction. The procedure involved rebuilding multiple layers of the abdominal wall, removing scar tissue, repositioning shifted organs, and reinforcing the area with surgical mesh.
“I wanted Chris to have form and function so her core could work again, and for it to look cosmetically beautiful,” Dr. Dorsey said.
Chris deeply appreciated the care she received.
“When I first met Dr. Dorsey, I knew she was the right surgeon to perform this complicated surgery,” she said.
Having Dr. Kreiner involved once again carried special meaning.
“She’s been part of my journey from the beginning, and I couldn’t think of a better doctor to be by my side through it all.”
Turning Trauma into Purpose
Back in 2021, while recovering, Chris connected with MetroHealth’s Trauma Recovery Center and was inspired by visits from peer mentors. Wanting to give back, she volunteered as a Peer Mentor herself once she was physically able.
Her experience allowed her to support other trauma survivors navigating their own recovery journeys, until she returned to work full-time.
Living Life Fully Again
Today, Chris continues moving forward with gratitude and determination.
She returned to her role as Director of Human Resources and remains active despite her ongoing recovery. In 2025, she participated in 28 local 5K events. As of June 2026, she had already completed 10 more, including the MetroHealth Resiliency Run.
Chris and her fiancé, Ken—who proposed on Valentine’s Day 2022—have also embraced travel, visiting destinations including Florida, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and the Caribbean. They hope to visit family in Croatia later this year.
A Legacy of Gratitude
During a recent hospital stay, Chris visited MetroHealth’s Trauma Floor hallway, where portraits of former trauma patients line the walls. Standing beside her own photo, she reflected on the people who helped shape her recovery.
“I’ve been very, very fortunate,” she said. “There have been so many blessings. MetroHealth has a special place in our hearts.”
MetroHealth is proud to be Northeast Ohio’s most experienced Level 1 Adult Trauma Center and is committed to keeping our community safe. In case of an emergency, visit one of our four Emergency Departments. Learn more here.
