The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over

This was a memorable quick read that was well written and well meant. The word “inspiring” comes to mind quickly, as the author was such a workaholic powerhouse prior to this accident. Her lessons learned are painful and enlightening, bringing me to tears by the end.

I could not put this book down. Naseem fearlessly jumps right into describing the accident with unbelievable detail but what kept me reading was how she weaves together who she had been with who she evolved into, sharing insights that enriched how I see my own life. For example, I found her discomfort with receiving help instantly relatable, and I was charmed by her humor as much as her soulful insights. She lays bare the details of her emotional healing so fully that by the end of the book I felt like I had a new friend.

As someone who's experienced her own physical traumas, I loved the idea of turning the day your life changed into an Unbreakable Day. The author does a wonderful job of explaining how she came to this mentality; I felt for her and her situation throughout. Although at times I agreed with the author's friend "Kelly"--a woman who has it all is an unsympathetic character--Naseem takes great care to humanize herself throughout, and to express the flaws in her pre-accident mentality of striving for perfection. Her voice is humorous and strong: I fell in love with her husband and children, I felt her anger at the driver's shocking lack of remorse, and I felt the pain and frustration of her achingly slow recovery. Overall, this is a worthwhile read for those who could benefit from reframing their painful pasts into Unbreakable Days.

I just finished The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over and I couldn't put it down! It's a very personal, very moving memoir about a mom who was run over by a car and how she grapples with the physical and emotional trauma. The author shares so much about herself and her family that you really end up caring about everything that they all go through. I highly recommend this book..

Absolutely spectacular book! I loved the authors story and how she was able to take the hardships she experienced through her life and eventually use them as a source of strength. I love how she walks us through the process of using community and family to overcome hard times and make the fun times more happy. On finishing this book, I came out wanting to go out and party (and eat some ice cream!)

It was a quick and easy read, and very hard to put down. I read the book cover to cover in just a few hours!

Just finished this book in one sitting. I didn't want to put it down or it to end. It was an easy read and flowed nicely.
Clear and descriptive, I felt as if I was experiencing the accident in real time and as a firsthand observer. Ms. Rochette's story was beautifully crafted and inspirational. Her story resonated with me and spoke to how a positive attitude and real gratitude can shape how you view the world. In a world filled with negativity, this book lifted me with hope.
Ms. Rochette's resilience is a story we can all learn from and emulate. I can't wait to give it to my teenage daughter to read.!

I love this book!
The book very candidly portrays the remarkable life and resilience of Naseem in the face of significant trauma. I love how Naseem shares her experiences growing up as a first generation American and forging her own unique path to success. However, Naseem’s key attribute of grit is clearly evident after her accident where she, a pedestrian, is run over by a car, not once, not twice, but three times. Miraculously, she survives! After this accident Naseem has a long path to recovery due to her physical injuries and post traumatic stress disorder. Despite all of that, she prevails by drawing on her resilience and wisdom to not only survive, but thrive, and continues to enrich the life of her family and friends around her. Reading about Naseem’s experiences after the accident and the insights she shares about helping oneself, allowing others to help us, and what humans really crave for when people wrong us are enlightening. Overall, there is much wisdom in Naseem’s approach to life for all of us — finding joy and fulfillment despite the imperfections of self and life. A highly recommended and very inspiring read!

This is the perfect book for anyone looking to understand setbacks that life inevitably throws at us. While the title is attention-grabbing, and the calamity suffered is mind-boggling, the power of this book will still sneak up on you. It opens in a relatively straightforward accounting of a woman living a relatively happy life. This section unexpectedly stays with a reader as one of the most brave and vulnerable parts of the story; contentment often breeds contempt.

Cynical readers won’t have time to build much of a case, though. Rochette’s harrowing experience devastates her sense of ease in the world, and comes with serious physical injuries. It also wreaks havoc on her family who suffer along side her. In the same conversational tone throughout, Rochette describes in detail the re-ordering of her expectations for her life - not all of them permanent or negative - that are a guide for living well no matter what challenges we face. In her case, that included both tire tracks on her head and a paralyzing fear of crossing the street. Another particular feature of this journey for Rochette was the unrelenting refusal of her victimizer to participate in any part of a resolution; Rochette was forced to find peace on her own, which may have been deeper and more lasting; a bittersweet reward for her struggle to make sense of the event.

The final third of the book takes us on a journey with Rochette as life continues to deal blows. It is here that the book delivers its real punch. Its tragic elements are rendered meaningful if only because we are able to experience them with someone whose life has given us a perspective we may not otherwise have had. In an unusual twist, the book includes a series of sermonettes at the end. I highly recommend reading the book before getting to these because they’re all connected to her experience and will resonate much more for a reader coming to them knowing it.

This is a deceptively powerful book that is highly accessible, candid, and easy to read. It’s a perfect fit for people recovering from traumatic injuries. But it’s also a great story for all of real-life, hard-won triumph and the greater wisdom that comes as its prize. Part of that greater wisdom is the knowing that being really vulnerable is a high form of our humanity and a genuine gift to others. This story is an excellent example of an author engaging in a gift of her humanity, no matter how paralyzed in fear she may have been, to get to the other side of tragedy.

One of the most amazing books i have read in recent times. It highlights the importance of friends and family which many of us, at times take for granted. It presents a real life example of how strong a human can be both physically and mentally if they decide too. I found this book very inspiring, very well articulated and the author does a brilliant job in engaging with the reader. I would highly recommend giving it a read.

This is an inspiring story of Naseem (Nas) Rochette and how she rebuilds her life after a serious accident. The writing is a bit of a let-down in parts though.

Naseem is happily married to Westcott (Wes), with three kids – Asha, Kalyan & Jasper. She is also doing well in her career in technology, now being employed by Microsoft. She had earlier spent some time helping her brother Zahid with his start-up venture. There is also some background of her family – her parents being Indian Muslim immigrants, who have worked hard to build their lives. One day she returns from work, gets off a train from NY at South Orange, and her husband is a little distance away ready to pick her up. At a pedestrian crosswalk, she is hit by a vehicle. The driver does not stop, and runs over her three times with the wheels over Naseem five times. Onlookers, including Wes, yell for the driver to stop and finally she does. After that, Naseem is rushed to hospital and has eye surgery, other than treatment for her wounds.

It would be several weeks before she can return to work, and she is very circumspect now in travelling as the scars have still not fully healed and there is a fear preying on her mind. After a year, she decides to celebrate the day of her accident as her “Unbreakable Day”. The repercussions of the accident continue with medical treatment, psychological consultations and appearances in court for long. Disappointingly, the driver of the vehicle at the time showed no concern for her life, and even after many months shows no remorse. While this initially makes Naseem very bitter, she still tries to reach out, but to no avail with the driver maintaining that “it was just an accident”. The driver, due to her driving history, had only “forced insurance” and as result all payments had to be made by Naseem’s insurance company, though she was not driving, which they were obviously not happy about.

A lot of the initial sections make for painful reading – her accident, the injuries, the attitude of the driver, the court appearances and her re-integration into normal life. A lot of the writing even in the later parts is very literal and I would have hoped for some more depth. The last chapter on learnings from her experience offers almost no new material. The book is very readable and is well structured and crisp.

This is an inspiring story of a woman who rose after a serious setback, and I certainly recommend the book for that.

Oh my, this book was hard to put down. I can’t imagine going through what Naseem went through. I was very impressed with how she handled things and, well, just wow. If you need a book to help you put your troubles in perspective, this is the one.

Many thanks to both Misfit Blue and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over.

Expected publication: April 4th 2023

This is a unique memoir that's equal parts heart-wrenching, and inspiring. Naseem lays bare the reality of personal trauma—and how we each have the power to reimagine our lives and find beauty in both being broken and unbreakable.

The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over has a horrifying beginning, where Nas describes being hit by a car while she was in a crosswalk. Instead of immediately stopping, the driver hit the gas and ran over Nas, as the onlookers (including Nas' husband) SCREAMED at the driver to STOP. Instead of stopping, the driver reversed, running over Nas a second time. THEN she drove forward again, running Nas over a third time, finally stopping her car ... on top of Nas!! That the author survived is an absolute miracle. That she didn't have any broken bones or skull fractures was a double miracle.

The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over then delves into the heart of the book, describing Nas' very lengthy, heart-wrenching recovery, while the driver refused to show any remorse or accept any guilt. "It was just an accident," she stated.

The only thing I disliked about the book was Nas' descriptions of her designer clothing. I didn't feel knowing about her expensive wardrobe contributed to the story.

Bottom line, Naseem's story is a perfect example of finding purpose and meaning in our lives - not in SPITE of what has happened to us, but BECAUSE of it. It's an inspiration to survivors everywhere.

The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over
by Naseem Rochette
Pub Date 04 Apr 2023
Girl Friday Productions, Misfit Blue
Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | True Crime



I am reviewing a copy of The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over through Girl Friday Productions, Misfit Blue and Netgalley:




In this book you will be reminded to find beauty and power in your cracks. And it will remind you that breaking doesn't mean broken.



Nasheem was in a pedestrian sidewalk in a quiet tree lined street. In that crosswalk she is hit then ran over three times. As onlookers yell for the driver to stop as she hears her fate in her husband’s screams. Is he is watching the mother of his children die?


Miraculously Nasheem survives, yet she is no longer the person she worked so hard to be. Her “cracks”—the changes to her body and mind—initially feel impossible to accept. In learning to embrace this new, unrecognizable self, Naseem decides to celebrate the day she almost lost her life as the day she discovered her true strength her Unbreakable Day.


The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over is a unique memoir equal parts heart wrenching and inspiring, Naseem lays bare the reality of personal trauma and how we each have the power to reimagine our lives and find beauty in both being broken and unbreakable.


I give The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over five out of five stars!

When walking in a crosswalk, one would think that he/she is safe, this was not the case for Naseem, as she is brutally run over by a vehicle. Naseem is living the ideal American family life, a career woman, happily married with 3 children, when she is heinously injured by a vehicle. This story details Naseem’s frustration, with the injury, with the driver of the vehicle, and with the legal system, that hardly penalizes the driver. Unbelievably, she is able to detail the incident to the minute details, of the number of times the wheels ran over her prone body as it was laying on the street. I enjoyed the details, but would have preferred more details about her recovery, and her medical conditions. This book was a quick, memorable read, but I would have liked more details. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read this book in two days, and had trouble putting it down. It was very well written, an engrossing story, and I loved the messaging. The best was to "embrace your cracks" ... Naseem tells her journey from denying her injuries, thinking that she can decide to overcome them to a place where she not only accepts them, but embraces them.

As we get older, every one of us has issues of one sort or another, physical and/or mental, and this book helps to recognize them for what they are - bumps in the road. If you can embrace them and move on, you are stronger for them. And Naseem proves that point.

Well worth the read!