Just over two months after recovering from a paralyzing bicycle injury, Annie Hayes was back at work as a school librarian in Rensselaer County.

"I didn't see any point in staying home and just sitting there," said Hayes, a member of the Berlin Teachers Association.

"I was on a mission to get my life back and there was nothing that was going to stop me. I just had to figure out what I needed to do."

Hayes' determination and pragmatic approach to her recovery — and life — inspired filmmaker Michael Sinopoli to create a documentary, You Take Yourself Wherever You Go: The Annie Hayes Story.

"Annie's always been a free-spirited woman, really strong and focused. I always liked those qualities in her," said Sinopoli, a longtime friend who had golfed with Hayes two days before the accident. "I wanted to tell Annie's story."

On Aug. 18, 2006, Hayes planned a quick, early-morning ride before taking her teenage daughter to work. While riding over a wooden bridge, her bike wheels caught on a protruding board.

"I flipped over the bridge and my back smashed against a log," Hayes said. "I immediately knew I was paralyzed. I couldn't move my lower body."

Within weeks after her release from the hospital, she learned to drive using hand controls.

"One of the single most important things I did for myself in the rehab process was getting my driver's license," Hayes said.

By the end of the month she was back at school.

"The woman is amazing," said Jackie Elacqua, president of the Berlin TA. "She has dealt with it in ways that overwhelm me. She's an inspiration to the teachers and the kids; she's a really cool lady."

The first days back at school Hayes tried to assure everyone she was the same person as before the accident.

"I just acted like who I am normally, joking around," Hayes said. "Humor played a big role in making people feel comfortable."

Though she can't reach books on high shelves or plug in printers or computers into very low outlets, not much has changed in Hayes' day-to-day work.

"I had my husband, Chris (Gerardi), build me a frame around the circulation desk so I could stand up; my legs are strapped into it. The kids were really curious about that," Hayes said.

Hayes stays active in several sports and participates in fundraisers for different causes, such as medical research into spinal cord injuries.

Her can-do spirit and optimism made her the perfect subject for a film to help others dealing with adversity, including newly paralyzed patients, Sinopoli said.

"I thought it would be inspirational to other people," he explained. "After watching the movie, maybe someone gets the courage to start living life again."

Hayes simply wants to encourage those who may be feeling hopeless about their situations.

"When I was at Spaulding Hospital in Boston, there were so many people who were depressed. It's so scary to know that you're going to be in a chair for the rest of your life," Hayes said, "but it's not the end of the world."

Sinopoli's documentary, produced for United Cerebral Palsy, is scheduled for release next fall. To view a trailer for the film, visit www.vimeo.com/6935056.