City: Camp Lejeune

Brain Injury: Pedestrian struck by a car at age 22

Explanation of Mask: The rays of sunshine show my optimistic mindset post TBI. The cross represents feeling uplifted and blessed when I was in the rehabilitation hospital. The cap and diploma demonstrate my determination to finish my Master’s degree once I recovered. The red around my eyes indicates the frustration I feel when people forget that I battle with a TBI, or when I’m struggling to get help. The unfinished white areas show my resilience, because I haven’t stopped fighting yet, and there is more to come in the years ahead