Edward McHale

It was June 29th, 1998. The Summer before Senior year. College, prom, and parties were all we talked about. It was about to be the greatest year ever! I was having a party at my parents’ house that night. Around 4pm, My friends and I got into the car to get party supplies. My adventurous friend who happened to be the driver of the car asked if we should jump the railroad tracks a few blocks from our house. We were all young kids, so we agreed. One of my friends suggested we put on seat belts to which I replied foolishly “Real men don’t wear seat belts.” A statement I would never forget and soon regret.
We proceeded to “Jump the tracks” and at the very same time, a mother was pulling out of the entrance to the local community center with her kids in the car. She had already begun to apply the gas to her vehicle when we came flying over the tracks. The frightened mother hit the accelerator instead of the brakes and crashed directly into the passenger door of the car where I was seated. The car flipped numerous times, and I was ejected from the vehicle because I had no seat belt. I flew into the air and landed on my head on a nearby church sidewalk.
I was unresponsive, not breathing, and blood was everywhere. My friend saw me and fainted from the horrific sight. The woman in the car behind me was a certified trauma nurse who quickly sprang into action, resuscitated me and literally saved my life. I sustained serious injuries ranging from 2 collapsed lungs, internal bleeding, a ruptured spleen, lacerated kidneys, 2 fractured vertebrae and a subdural hematoma, otherwise known as a severe head trauma. I was in a coma for 3 weeks and 4 days. I don’t remember much about those days in the hospital, but I do recall a very long and detailed dream where I was strapped to a bomb, which later turned out to be the life support chest tubes. In the dream I was scared, and I prayed to Jesus, asking him to save me. Miraculously I woke up from the coma, after doctors told my family I was not going to make it. I went through a few weeks of physical rehabilitation where I learned to walk and talk again.
The road after brain injury has been extremely challenging. Throughout my 20s I had multiple run-ins with the law, not to mention countless hospitalizations. I even had trouble keeping jobs due to seizures directly related to the car accident. The hardest part was coming to terms with the fact that understanding or being understood by others was much more difficult. My advice to anyone out there with traumatic brain injury is to stay connected with a community that supports TBI survivors. I was lucky to have had the very best people in my corner, my parents, sisters, my children and friends. Most Notably is my wife, she supports, helps, and forgives what we call my “Brain Hiccups”. I am now a 44 year old married with 3 young sons and all I can say is I thank God every day for saving me that day, and I hope to spend the rest of my days giving back the love and support I’ve received over the years to TBI survivors who feel alone on their journey.