City: Suwanee

Brain Injury: I died in a car wreck in December of 1983. I was driving down a road that I had driven down a thousand times before. The car flipped and I was thrown from the car. I suffered a traumatic brain injury, died and came back. I fought hard for life.

Explanation of Mask: I have been in three car accidents in my life. This last one left me in a coma for 18 weeks and changed the course of my life forever. I am grateful, because clearly I’m living on borrowed time. 

I take life as it comes at me. I try to be responsible for and worthy of my own deeds. The words on my mask were chosen because I am so determined to motivate others. I focus on what I can do, not what I can’t.

So many times I see people with brain injury become so timid and just go along with the crowd. I am still my own man with thoughts, opinions and beliefs. I work hard to be true to myself. I encourage others with brain injury to do the same. You are still the person God made you to be. We should life with intent and purpose, not just be.

I have come to realize that I am a better person now than I was before my injury. I “survived” for a reason. I have much to give.