Finding the New You after Brain Injury: Rachael’s Story
October 9, 2026
“Recovery does not always mean going back to who you were. Sometimes it means learning who you are now and finding people who see that person clearly.”
The Brain Injury Association of America – California Chapter is elevating the voices of Californians impacted by a brain injury. Rachael shares how she got inspired to get involved as a volunteer and wanted other survivors to experience that same shift: from being seen only as patients to being welcomed as people who have something to offer.
Rachael’s Story
“Before my injury, I had a busy, independent life while raising two kids. I was used to being capable, organized, and able to keep up.
Then a boating accident changed everything. I was on a raft when I was struck by a drunk driver going 80mph in a speedboat. My husband pulled me from the water and performed CPR until the helicopter medics arrived. I was unconscious and in a coma, with agonal breathing. My injury was so severe that the nurses told my husband to pull the plug. I had sustained a severe diffuse axonal brain injury.
I did not wake up for two months, and when I finally did, I did not get my old life back. I had to relearn how to walk and talk through years of physical therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation. Some things came back slowly. Others never fully returned.
I am permanently disabled. I cannot drive, so I get around the Bay Area by Uber. My balance is poor; I walk slowly, and uneven ground is difficult for me. But I still go on our annual international family trips to introduce my kids to different cultures. Speaking is strenuous; my words get jumbled, and even starting conversations can be difficult. Writing is my clearest way to communicate. I live with neuropathy and depression, and I am not “recovered.” I am still living with this injury every day.
The hardest changes are the ones people cannot see. I may look like myself, but my brain and body do not work the way they used to. Losing my independence and having to rely on others for things I once did without thinking has been one of my deepest losses.
What has made a difference is finding places where I am not defined by what I lost. I serve on the board of our local public school education foundation, where I have been given real responsibility and meaningful work. That has given me a renewed sense of acceptance and purpose. It reminded me that I still have something to contribute: my follow-through, my planning, and my experience.
That is what inspired me to get involved with the Brain Injury Association of America. I want other survivors to experience that same shift: from being seen only as patients to being welcomed as people who have something to offer.
Acceptance, for me, has not meant giving up. It has meant being honest about the fact that my life is different now and building a meaningful life within that reality.
For anyone living with a brain injury: you are not making it up, and you are not alone. Advocate for yourself in whatever way you can, even if that means writing instead of speaking, even if progress is slow. Recovery does not always mean going back to who you were. Sometimes it means learning who you are now and finding people who see that person clearly.”