About Emilie
On October 8th of last year, Emilie Gossiaux, a senior in The Cooper Union School of Art, was struck by a semi-truck while riding her bike in Brooklyn. She emerged from the ER in severely critical condition. After a month and a half, multiple surgeries, and diligent support from friends and family, Emilie awoke to full cognitive function with no memory loss, but also to complete blindness.
At a young age, Emilie was diagnosed with moderate hearing loss due to an untreatable disorder. Her hearing deteriorated rapidly throughout her teens, a deficit that Emilie filled with a passion for visual art. Upon completion of her junior year in May 2010, she received cochlear implant surgery in her left ear to partially address her hearing impairment.
Since January, Emilie has been receiving extensive occupational and physical therapy and will soon begin mobility training for the blind. Today, Emilie relies more than ever on the quality of her hearing as it continues to deteriorate. The Cooper Union School of Art Student Council will host the Art Benefit for Emilie Gossiaux to support Emilie's recovery costs, including funding for a cochlear implant in her other ear. The Silent Art Auction and Sale will feature artwork donated by Current Students, Alumni, Staff and Faculty of the Cooper Union. Please join us Saturday, April 23 at 2pm in support of this recovering young artist.
NPR's Radiolab - Finding Emilie
The New York Times - Hit by a Truck, and Given Up For Dead, a Woman Fights Back