When Micah Glausier walked across the stage to accept his diploma at Chelsea High’s graduation Thursday, he wasn’t just walking into a new stage of his life.

He was also walking away from one of the most harrowing experiences his family will ever go through — a near-fatal car crash on U.S. Highway 280 that involved Micah and his younger sister, 16-year-old Lindsay Kate.

After school on Jan. 9, 2009, Micah stepped into his car after school with Lindsay Kate in the passenger side. That’s the last thing he remembers until two days later on Sunday, when he woke up with his pastor praying over him.

Although he doesn’t remember the accident, he believes the sun must have been blinding him as he pulled out in front of an oncoming dump truck.

During the accident, he had suffered brain trauma as well as serious cuts and bruises, but no broken bones.

Lindsay Kate was the exact opposite, with several broken bones but no brain trauma, although the dump truck hit her side of the vehicle. While Micah remembers nothing about the accident, she remembers everything.

“We got to the median, and I looked up and saw it coming and just screamed,” she said.

She said Micah dove across her lap, arm outstretched, to try to protect her from the impact.

“I blacked out, and when I woke up, everything was in slow motion. Nobody was there yet, and Micah was, like, in my lap, and I just thought, ‘He’s dead, he’s dead,’” Lindsay Kate said. “When the paramedics got there, they found a pulse, and then they were focused on getting him out.”

He stayed in the hospital for a week, until Jan. 17.

After getting out, the most important thing for Micah was learning to play his guitar again. He’s accepted a music scholarship to the University of Mobile, with a focus on guitar.

“Playing my guitar was really hard at first. Guitar has been a huge part of my life. It’s something I can go to. When I’m upset, I just play,” he said. “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

To get back to playing form, Micah had to undergo occupational, mental and physical therapy for a month and a half. He had to learn to walk, to maintain his balance and to talk without slurring his words.

“The first day was so hard. Even now, sometimes my hand-eye coordination is a little off,” he said. “When I get tired, I slur my speech, and it’s funny, but sometimes I call people by another name. I know I do it, and I correct myself. I did it before, but just not this often.”

He was out of school for a month and a half, and then went back for half days until spring break. Lindsay Kate was out for three weeks, and then did half days until spring break as well. After spring break was over, both went back full-time.

Lindsay Kate said watching Micah receive his diploma after what they’d both been through was nothing short of incredible.

“I was just thinking, ‘We shouldn’t be here today,’” she said. “I was just amazed. It was just cool to see him. It was like a miracle.”