Taylor Uses Personal Tragedies to Inspire Others
October 6, 2005

She's the courageous cover girl who survived a near-fatal crash, the sudden death of her sister and a sobering addiction to pain killers. Now, Niki Taylor is baring her soul to "Extra," revealing how she triumphed over her tragedies.

Few would have predicted Taylor's remarkable recovery from the accident four years ago that left her on the brink of death with massive internal injuries.

"I couldn't speak," Taylor recalled. "I had a tracheotomy, and I couldn't move. It was everybody's prayers and amazing doctors that got me through all that."

But most of all, it was Taylor's twin sons who helped keep her hope alive. "Jake and Hunter were a big part of me getting better and pushing me to start walking and using my hands," Taylor said.

And after nearly three months in the hospital and many more months of therapy, Taylor made a life-altering decision to expand her career. Not only did she open a trendy clothing store near her Tennessee home, she also designed her own fragrance and started a foundation called Begin, which encourages other women on her Web site to start their own businesses.

"I love being my own boss," Taylor admitted.

And recently, after a trip to Southeast Asia, the 30-year-old beauty became a spokeswoman for a group trying to stop the shocking sex slave business. "I wanted to learn, and I wanted to hear from these girls," Taylor said. "Also, what they've been through, it just moved me."

So it seems that Niki Taylor is proving she's not only a survivor, she's also an inspiration. "I'm really in the best place I've ever been," she said. "I feel like I've been given another chance at life."