Drew McKinney

Hello friends, my name is Drew. I obtained my traumatic brain injury as a sophomore at Morehead State University. On March 27, 2010, my seven friends and I went hiking after studying for midterms together. My close friend went missing from our group, and I asked everyone if they knew where she might be, but I got nothing. So I took it upon myself to locate her.

I found her clinging to a tree limb off of Tier 3 of Lockogee. I got beneath her, yelled for her to fall, and I caught her — but I started losing my balance and shoved her away to safety. I lost my balance and fell 87 feet, breaking every bone in my face and three ribs. My friends found me and carried me to the roadway so paramedics could take over.

I sustained a traumatic brain injury and blew the pupil in my right eye, causing my vision to be flipped. To address the double vision, my family and I decided to have that eye stitched shut. I spent 36 days at UK Hospital. From there, my family self-paid for a Lear jet and had me transported to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia — a brain and spine institute. I was there for three months. Then I went back home to my dad’s house in Kentucky, while still in a coma.

After two and a half months, I woke up writing, because my speech therapist had placed a dry-erase board on my chest. I wrote, “Where’s dad?”

Now I’m 36 years old and proud of the many accomplishments I’ve made with speech and walking. On May 5, 2023, I received my Associate’s Degree in Art from Ashland Community and Technical College.

I would like to say — NEVER GIVE UP HOPE — because you never know what may come of things. I was told I would be nothing but a vegetable. I’m currently the goofiest, walking-talking “vegetable” you’ll ever have a chance to meet.

POSITIVITY is key in recovery, because negativity comes easily — our brains are wired that way. Train yourself to be positive.