Without support, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I owe my life to HIRO.”
Just two days after his 20th birthday, Grant was involved in a serious car accident. His injuries were extensive and his prognosis was a 50 percent chance of waking up from a coma. He was told if he does, he will not be able to walk or talk again. Ten days later, Grant awoke and spent the next three months in acute care. His focus and aspirations prior to the accident were to graduate and work in hotel management. But now, his focus was on healing his brain, body and soul.
With the support from the medical team, his family and his unwavering determination to overcome his prognosis odds, Grant returned home with his parents. “I wasn’t prepared for the challenges I was about to face. Simple, everyday tasks were difficult which left me feeling frustrated and overwhelmed – Like I used to be able to do this and I can’t anymore.”
Grant and his family knew he needed to build a solid support system to encourage him to keep thriving. With the assistance and helpful recommendations from the hospital, Grant’s parents applied to HIRO to seek further rehabilitative care. Through his individualized rehabilitation program and continuous care from the staff, Grant was able to return to college and graduated from the Food and Beverage Management Program. Even though he accomplished the unthinkable, Grant’s desire to share his personal journey with others meant so much more to him so he continued his education to receive a diploma in Social Services.
Today, Grant actively volunteers in the community while attending Group on a weekly basis. His experiences have impacted the lives of so many and he continues to inspire and encourage others. “I’ve been through the suicidal ideation, the frustrations, the banging my head off the wall and thinking I’m never going to be anything. I’ve had all of these different feelings. I like to attend Group to try and inspire the others; let them know there is hope. We are all different, every brain injury is different. I can still get overwhelmed but the staff are here to help with that. I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it wasn’t for HIRO.”