Dean's story

Friday 17 May 2013. That date will stay with me forever. It was a day that started out like any other – but was one that changed my life forever. And if it hadn’t been for Headway, I really don’t know where I’d be now.

Before that day, I was a very outgoing, energetic 26-year-old who loved dancing – especially street and body-pop style. I danced and played pool every weekend. And I worked as a sign-maker, making signage for anything from theatres to roads. I loved it, and I’d done it straight from leaving school.

I’d been working with a friend on the day of the accident – it was the last day of the job and we were on our way home. The route took us along country lanes – and it was then that it happened. The driver of another car didn’t give way at the signs and hit us, sending our van rolling six times into a ditch.

I don’t really remember what happened next. I’m told the ambulance took 45 minutes to arrive. At the hospital, I had to have surgery on my head and stomach. They put bolts into my skull to relieve pressure from the fluid that was building up around my brain, and put me in an induced coma to help my brain recover as much as possible. I still have scars on my body, and all the way around my head.

I was in that coma for six weeks. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for my family. But I’m just so glad Headway was there from the start to help them. Their Emergency Fund meant that my mum could be there with me in the hospital. It wouldn’t have been possible without it because she lived so far away, but with Headway’s help, she was able to stay and be there with me in the hardest moments. It really mattered – for both of us.

Coming out the coma was when my recovery really started. I don’t remember much, but was told I probably wouldn’t walk again and would have to relearn almost everything. The whole left side of my body didn’t work – I didn't have any muscle at all, but I was determined not to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair.

One of my biggest goals was to learn to drive. I had never driven before my accident, so I was learning for the very first time while also living with the effects of a brain injury. It took me five years of lessons, hard work and determination before I finally passed my driving test in an automatic car. Holding that full driving licence was one of the proudest moments of my life because it represented so much more than being able to drive—it represented independence and proof that I could still achieve goals that once seemed impossible.

I started visiting my local Headway as soon as I came home – and I still go now. The group helps me feel less alone and gives me something to look forward to.

Today, I can walk again. I still have some problems with my balance, which are a lasting effect of my brain injury, but I’ve learned to adapt. I keep a mobility scooter in the boot of my car for longer walks or days out. It helps me stay independent and means I can enjoy time with family and friends without slowing anyone down. I’ve learned that using the right equipment isn’t giving up—it’s making the most of the life I have.

People often only see where I am today. They don’t see the hospital bed, the wheelchair, the years of rehabilitation, or the determination it took to rebuild my life.

My recovery isn’t about being back to how I was before. It’s about becoming the best version of myself after everything I’ve been through. I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

Because of Headway, people like me have the support they need to recover and rebuild their life – it gives us hope, and the help we need to keep going. It means we can talk to others who understand, otherwise people would hide themselves away. I wouldn’t like to think where we’d be if Headway wasn’t here.

If my story gives hope to just one person facing a brain injury or another life-changing challenge, then sharing it is worthwhile.

Never underestimate what determination, patience and perseverance can achieve. Progress may be slow, but every small step forward is still a step forward.

From intensive care… to a wheelchair… to walking… to earning my first driving licence.

I’m still recovering, but I’m living proof that anything is possible.