Broken, but not defeated, Fireball victim Keziah Lewis is ready to tell her story.

She’s speaking with NBC4 about the accident that left her in a wheelchair and killed her boyfriend, Tyler Jarrell. Jarrell, a young Marine recruit was killed when the ride broke apart at last year’s Ohio State Fair. Lewis is now teaming up with Tyler’s mother, Amber Duffield, to demand change in the form of safer rides through Tyler’s Law.

It was supposed to be the perfect day, part of a perfect summer together, fresh off a trip from Niagara Falls.

“He was going to the Marines… we just had so much ahead of us,” said Lewis. “It just felt like it all got taken away.” 

On July 26th, 2017, 20-year-old Keziah Lewis took the seat next to Jarrell on the Fireball ride. All she remembers is waking up in the hospital.

“She said mom what happened?” And then she asked where’s Tyler? And, then she asked me was she going to die?” said Lewis’ mother Clarissa Williams.

The Fireball accident broke her and broke her heart.

“I think in the hospital I wasn’t ready to like accept it so I just kept telling myself he’s just on vacation somewhere he’s just not here right now, but it’s like really hard,” said Lewis.

She learned Tyler, who had stolen her heart when they met working at the Stringtown Road McDonald’s together, had been killed. She too was in a fight for her life after breaking her back, neck, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist and pelvis. She underwent 12 surgeries and painful physical therapy. The accident left her in a wheelchair, but nearly a year later she is getting stronger every day mentally and physically. She’s now fighting for the bill bearing her boyfriend’s name alongside Duffield.

“You’re here and you’re going to help put a voice to this. And, that’s what they need more than just Tyler’s mama,” said Duffield.

On opening day of the upcoming Ohio State Fair, Duffield, family and friends plan to stand outside of fair gates wearing shirts with Tyler’s face that say, “Demand Safer Rides.”

“This really is important… that they really truly need to look at this and get it done,” said Duffield.

Lewis doesn’t know if she can go back yet to the place where her life changed in an instant. She’s determined to make sure the giving, goofy guy, who was committed to serving his country, didn’t die in vain.

“I loved Tyler so much, part of me actually just recently realized that he was gone,” said Lewis.

The Ohio State Fair starts on Wednesday, July 25th.