How a life-altering accident led one father to the MHA program at MUSC

Tracy Adams, a Master of Health Administration (MHA) student at the Medical University of South Carolina's College of Health Professions (CHP), always envisioned a career centered on serving others. But it wasn’t until he faced a devastating accident and a long, uncertain recovery that he truly found his calling in health care – when everything changed overnight. 

The year was 2014, and Adams had just earned his degree in exercise science from Coastal Carolina University. He accepted a job at Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital as an outpatient occupational therapy technician and planned to become an occupational therapist.

But just days after celebrating his college graduation, Adams’s life took a dramatic and unexpected turn. One moment, he was preparing for a new job; the next, he was in a coma, fighting for his life after a horrific car accident. 

The accident left Adams with catastrophic injuries: fractures to his C5 and C6 vertebrae, a traumatic brain injury that affected his ability to walk and talk and hemorrhages that caused both short- and long-term memory loss. He needed a tracheostomy to breathe and a feeding tube to survive. Initially treated in Myrtle Beach, he was later transferred to MUSC Health for advanced specialty care.

“I couldn’t talk for nine months, and it changed my life,” he said. “At MUSC, I underwent five surgeries on my trachea and finally got my voice back. I’ll never forget the moment I heard my own voice again.”

After months spent in the hospital, Adams was cleared to continue his recovery at home, but the road ahead was steep. He spent months relearning how to walk, talk, read and complete everyday tasks, supported by a team of physicians, nurses and therapists.

Through it all, Adams remained focused on his long-term goal: a career helping others. Even during his recovery, he never let his dream die. He reached out to Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital to let them know he was still interested in working there.

The hospital welcomed him. Adams began working part-time as a rehabilitation technician, eventually moving into a full-time role, supporting patients who were, like him, recovering from serious injuries and illnesses.

“My experience working in the hospital was such a blessing,” he said. “I got to help so many people and touch so many lives. It was a gift from God.”

Adams’ story and presence inspired the patients he served. He became a symbol of resilience – someone who understood their pain and recovery because he had lived it. Later, he worked as a personal trainer, helping clients to build strength and healthier habits while also supporting his wife as she pursued a nursing degree. 

A full-circle moment

In 2024, Adams and his wife learned that they were expecting twins. As he prepared for this new chapter as a father, Adams began thinking about how he could grow his impact in health care.

Having experienced MUSC as a patient, he felt a natural connection to its mission. He was accepted into CHP’s Master of Health Administration program. Around the same time, his doctor informed him that he could finally have his tracheostomy removed. 

It was a powerful, emotional moment, the close of one chapter and the beginning of another.

“I thought I’d have a trach forever, and it took me years to get to the point where I could function like I wanted to, but I kept moving and living,” said Adams. “That’s why I’m here now. I know how to walk by faith.”

In August of 2024, a decade after the accident, Adams began the MHA program.

“The MHA program is all about creating plans and reaching goals,” he explained. “My accident only intensified my ability to plan. I had to plan everything since I had a brain injury, from my daily tasks to what I’d eat for lunch."

Adams is thriving in the program. He’s gaining leadership and strategic skills that he hopes will help him to improve health care delivery, reduce staff turnover and strengthen communication within health care systems.

He appreciates that the MHA degree offers him multiple career paths. 

“It’s a great opportunity to find out what your passion is,” he said. “From strategy to leadership to sales to consulting, there are many ways to help organizations run more effectively.”

Beyond academics, Adams values the community he’s found. “I love my cohort,” he said.

Adams is currently completing an internship with MUSC’s director of Governmental and Community Engagement, work that includes trips to the South Carolina Statehouse and involvement in a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called Kids Eat Free at MUSC. He called the opportunity rewarding.

A life rebuilt with purpose

Today, Adams is a full-time student, an engaged intern and a proud father to 6-month-old twin girls. His journey has shaped his view of what it means to live a life of dedication and service. “It means a lot to me to show my daughters that anything is possible, to finish what you started and to give it everything you can.” 

Eleven years after his accident, Adams has reclaimed his voice, his health and his calling. With faith as his guide and his family as his inspiration, he's living proof of the healing power of determination and of health care. 

“I’m so thankful,” he said.