Peyton Harter (left), a first-year nutrition and medical sciences major, spent six months working alongside Jimmy Orr, a board-certified clinical specialist in sports in UD’s Physical Therapy Clinic, to regain her mobility following a serious crash.

Back on her feet

Article by Amy Cherry Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson and courtesy of Peyton Harter May 15, 2026

UDPT Clinic helps crash survivor, now UD student, walk again

On her way to Appoquinimink High School in April of last year, Peyton Harter swerved to avoid a car that cut her off on Route 896. She collided with a school bus just over a year ago in Middletown in a crash that left her severely injured.

When she came to, she realized she’d been in an accident. Her car windows were shattered, and she was trapped in the driver’s seat — with the school bus on top of her vehicle. She couldn’t reach her cellphone, though the crash detection feature had already called 911.

“It was all a blur, but I remember trying to wiggle my toes, and I was successful, so that gave me hope,” said Harter, now a first-year student at the University of Delaware majoring in nutrition and medical sciences in the College of Health Sciences.

“I knew from watching Grey’s Anatomy that panic and stress increase blood flow and make your heart pump faster, so I focused on staying calm,” Harter said.

A Good Samaritan on his way to work at the University of Delaware arrived before emergency crews and immediately sprang into action. Garrett McManus climbed through the shattered back window and heard a voice.

“I saw a hand reach back to grab mine, and I just held it,” he said.

Peyton Harter (right) embraces Garrett McManus, the Good Samaritan who helped her in the minutes after the crash, at the University of Delaware, where he works as the director of catering. It is the first time they have seen each other since her crash and recovery.

Peyton Harter embraces Garrett McManus, the Good Samaritan who helped her in the minutes after the crash, at the University of Delaware, where he works as the director of catering. It is the first time they have seen each other since her crash and recovery.

McManus, the catering director for UD Dining, helped keep Harter calm.

“I just kept her talking and ensured she stayed conscious and alert,” McManus said. “She wasn’t hysterical; her composure for someone that age in such a terrible situation was remarkable.”

Harter remembers their unexpected connection.

“We talked about UD because my mom works there, and I was going there, and he worked there,” she said.

As a father of three, McManus said helping was instinctive.

“I was glad I was in the right place at the right time,” he said.

Emergency crews took two hours to extricate Harter from the vehicle, using a wrecker to help move the bus off her car and the Jaws of Life to cut through the wreckage. Harter was flown by medical helicopter to Christiana Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery.

Garrett McManus (left), the catering director at UD, was driving to work when he saw a car crash and dove through the rear window. He held Peyton Harter’s hand until emergency crews arrived.

Harter broke six bones in her wrist and both legs, suffered a pulmonary embolism and had multiple additional surgeries during her 10-day hospital stay.

“I’m made of metal now. Airport security hates to see me coming,” she joked.

She was then discharged to an inpatient rehabilitation center, where she had to learn how to walk again. Doctors told her a full recovery would take six months to a year.

“I got lucky,” Harter said. “I progressed much faster than I even thought I would.”

During her recovery, McManus visited and brought flowers.

“That was the first time I’d actually seen Peyton,” McManus said. “It was good to finally put a face to the voice. It really was a miracle.”

After three weeks, Harter was walking with a walker. She went to her senior prom the day she was discharged from rehab.

Peyton Harter (right) poses with her best friend before heading to their high school prom, just one day after she was discharged from rehab.

Her progress only accelerated after she began working with Jimmy Orr, a board-certified clinical specialist in sports at UD’s Physical Therapy Clinic.

“It’s not often in this setting that we see someone with the number and complexity of injuries Peyton had all at once,” Orr said. “But she has such a positive attitude.”

Together, they set a goal: Harter wanted to walk across her high school graduation stage unassisted.

“Having a goal helps everyone; it motivates you,” Orr said.

Peyton Harter (left) set a goal early on in her physical therapy: she wanted to walk unassisted across the stage at her high school graduation. With help from Jimmy Orr (right), a physical therapist in UD’s Physical Therapy Clinic, her dreams were realized.

Orr focused on rebuilding strength, balance and, importantly, stair climbing — a pivotal obstacle Harter had to overcome to accomplish her goal.

On June 7, 2025, she walked across the commencement stage.

“That was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Harter said.

Orr was proud, too.

“You remember how important a milestone graduation is, and for her to realize her goals was awesome to see,” he said.

Peyton Harter walks across the stage after receiving her diploma at Appoquinimink High School in June 2025.

Now considering a career in physical therapy, Harter says she couldn’t have done it without UDPT.

“It probably would have taken me closer to that one-year mark to reach a full recovery,” she said.

Harter is back to being in the gym five days a week and running again.

“The accident changed me. It made me so grateful for movement. I always thought that if I could stay in my bed forever, I would. I’m not a morning person,” she joked. “But now, I need to be active. I’ll never say no to hanging out with a friend again because you don’t realize what you take for granted until you can’t do it.”