Brain injury survivor’s story
Patrick Francis is a force to be reckoned with. Ask anyone you know about him – and they’ll say his story is a miracle.
Eighteen years ago, Patrick was on the football field, the captain of his middle school team. He took a hard hit, which left him in a coma. The 13-year old had taken a hard hit. His mother Virginia couldn’t believe it was him being carted off on a stretcher. She couldn’t believe he was in a coma with a traumatic brain injury. But she did believe in a miracle.
When Patrick woke up two months and 11 days later, his family realized this story was just beginning.
His mother, Virginia says her first miracle happened the day he woke up. She says they celebrate September 11th because that’s the day he lived. He was re-born.
She thanks God every day for her miracle, but says the road to recovery has been long. Patrick had to re-learn how to walk, talk, blink and eat. Everything most of us take for granted, he had to re-learn.
Virginia quit her teaching job to take care of Patrick around the clock. It took three years to reach what they call his “new normal.” He had extensive speech, occupational and physical therapy, which he still goes to even after 18 years.
“It’s something you don’t wish to happen to anybody, because it’s very, very hard and I don’t think a lot of people understand what a brain injury is. When you have an illness you get cured but brain injury stays with you the whole time. It never goes away.”
More than 2.5 million ER visits every year in the U.S. are attributed to traumatic brain injuries. Virginia is now helping others through El Paso Brain Injury Support Group. She tells others the most important thing is to not lose hope. She calls it the journey of a million miles, but says it can be done if taken one step at a time.
Patrick thanks God as well. She says he’s thankful every day.
Another miracle? Patrick woke from that coma bilingual! He now speaks spanish – something he never did before. And his love of football has never been greater. His face lights up when he talks about the Denver Broncos.
Patrick and his family are proof that life after a traumatic brain injury is possible. And life is good.
To learn more about the El Paso Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group, click here.
