Allison Freeman with her parents, Kathleen and Dennis
On June 2, 2009, Allison Freeman was 25 years old and on top of the world. She had recently returned home after two years in London, followed by months of travelling and volunteering in Nepal and India with her boyfriend.
She had just started a new job in downtown Toronto when everything changed.
As Allison headed home after her first day of work, she was standing at an intersection when she suddenly heard the terrifying sound of screeching metal and shattering glass. Before she could react, she was hit by a speeding car that was involved in a police pursuit.
Pinned between a traffic light pole and a utility box, she immediately lost consciousness.
“I remember waking up pinned between the poles, in pain and confused, and then losing consciousness again,” Allison says.
She was immediately rushed to St. Michael’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures and broken ribs, extensive internal injuries, full-body trauma, and severe neurological injury.
“The best place”
While the trauma team worked urgently to save Allison’s life, her parents, Dennis and Kathleen, rushed to the hospital. By the time they arrived, she was in the ICU—and what they saw amazed them.
“From the moment we arrived, we saw the absolute dedication to our daughter getting better,” says Dennis. “It never wavered, not for a second. We saw the magic of St. Mike’s in action.”
Her parents were moved by the compassionate care they witnessed—care that went beyond world-leading medicine.
“The ICU team let Allison’s siblings and boyfriend (now husband) take turns sleeping in her room so she was never alone,” says Kathleen.
As Allison regained consciousness, she was immediately aware of the exceptional care she was receiving.
“We knew how lucky we were to be in the best place,” she says. “That sense of comfort and peace in such a chaotic time was like a lifeline to all of us.”
The gift of the future
With support from her family and the team at St. Michael’s, Allison made a remarkable recovery. Just 18 months after the accident, she was able to fulfill her dream of attending Columbia Business School in New York City.
Today, Allison is the CEO of a leading events company and a mom of three. And she lives each day with a powerful sense of gratitude.
“I owe my life to St. Mike’s,” she says. “I have the greatest respect for this amazing hospital.”
Wanting to pass on the gift their family had received, Dennis and Kathleen—business and community leaders who are passionate about igniting positive change through the power of philanthropy—recently made a significant donation to support a trauma patient room at the hospital.
“St. Mike’s gave our family the gift of Allison’s future,” says Dennis. “Our donation isn’t payback—it’s paying forward. It’s for the next child, the next family, the next person who might need this level of care.”
The hospital’s focus on delivering exceptional care for everyone—no matter their socioeconomic background—deeply resonated with the Freeman family.
“This hospital offers world-class care in the heart of our city, and it’s there for everybody,” Kathleen says. “You cannot take that for granted. We have to support it if we want it to be there tomorrow.”
Donate to St. Michael's Hospital Foundation.
