A brain injury can change your abilities, your career, your identity, and the future you once imagined.
But it does not necessarily take away your ability to make a difference.
In this conversation with Adeline, Dr. Eric shares how he came to terms with the enormous changes in his life after his brain injury and why gratitude, faith, and helping others became important parts of his recovery.
💔 From Helping Olympians to Learning New Limits
Adeline asks Dr. Eric how he moved through the shame and embarrassment of going from consulting with Olympians to struggling to walk at a 12-and-a-half-minute mile.
Dr. Eric says that shame was not what he experienced.
He experienced depression.
His physical abilities had changed dramatically, but he also recognized that he had already been fortunate to have many wonderful experiences and opportunities throughout his life.
That perspective helped him focus on how far he had come.
🙏 Gratitude for Being Alive
Dr. Eric explains that his recovery was not an overnight transformation, but that his perspective began to change relatively quickly.
Prayer became part of his daily life.
Every morning, he gives thanks that he is alive.
He shares that he was without a heartbeat for approximately 10 minutes while on the street. According to his story, a doctor, Dr. Rusky, happened to pull over and performed CPR.
Dr. Eric believes that without that intervention, he might not have survived.
That experience profoundly changed the way he looks at life.
🌱 A Life That Changed Completely
Surviving a brain injury does not always mean returning to the same life you had before.
Dr. Eric explains that he had to close his consulting company.
He could no longer do expert witness consulting.
He also could not continue his research in the same way because he found that he could no longer conceptualize things through visualization as he had before.
These losses were significant.
They represented not only changes in his abilities, but changes in the professional identity he had built over many years.
💗 But There Was Still Something He Could Do
Even after losing some of the work he once did, Dr. Eric recognized that he could still teach.
And he could still help others.
That realization is powerful.
Sometimes recovery means discovering that your contribution may look different than it did before.
You may not be able to return to the same job.
You may not be able to participate in the same activities.
You may have to give up things you once considered part of who you were.
But that does not mean you have nothing left to offer.
🧠 Redefining What Success Means
Before a brain injury, success might have been measured by professional accomplishments, athletic performance, research, or career achievements.
After a brain injury, those measurements may no longer fit.
Success may become:
🌤️ Getting through a difficult day.
🌱 Learning to walk again.
💬 Finding ways to communicate.
💡 Teaching someone else.
🤝 Helping another survivor.
🫶 Accepting support.
💖 Finding something to be grateful for.
🌟 Discovering a new purpose.
The definition of success can change without your life losing its value.
🌟 There Is More Than One Way to Help
Dr. Eric cannot do everything he did before his injury.
But he can still teach.
He can still share his experience.
He can still support others.
And through this conversation with Adeline, he is showing how sharing a personal recovery story can help someone else feel less alone.
Sometimes, the work that remains is different from the work you expected to do.
It can still matter.
💗 Love Love Brain Note
A brain injury can take away abilities, opportunities, routines, and even parts of the identity you once knew.
Grieving those losses is real.
You do not have to pretend that everything is okay.
But there may also be parts of yourself that remain, and new ways to use them.
Dr. Eric’s story reminds us that surviving can become its own beginning.
You may have to change direction.
You may have to redefine success.
You may have to discover a different way to contribute.
But your value is not measured only by what you could do before your injury.
You are still here. You can still teach. You can still help. You can still make a difference. 💗
🎥 Watch the Video
Watch Dr. Eric share his story with Adeline:
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Note: Every brain injury is different. This content is for education and support, not medical advice.
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