Portrait: Kyle
My name is Kyle and I am from a small town on Vancouver Island in Canada. I am a brain injury survivor and part of a marginalized group that has not voiced or spoken out as much as needed.
A little bit about Kyle
My name is Kyle, and I am from a small town on Vancouver Island in Canada. I am a brain injury survivor and part of a marginalized group that has not voiced or spoken out as much as needed.
In late December of 2012, I suffered life-threatening injuries to my head and brain after a violent assault. A man ran up behind me and started punching my head an estimated 10-15 times until I collapsed to the ground, and he ran away. The ambulance and police were called by witnesses nearby.
The next thing I knew, I was rushed into the EMR department of the hospital where I continued to vomit nonstop and go in and out of consciousness. The doctor thought there was bleeding in the brain, and I was rushed for a CT scan. I then spent time in the hospital to recover and was diagnosed with a severe concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Facing challenges
After the event took place, I started having post-concussion symptoms such as serious bouts of anxiety, depression, PTSD, insomnia, irritability, brain fog and fatigue, followed by unwanted thoughts and daily migraines. In early 2022, I finally found a local brain injury society and started researching and advocating for myself and my brain. In 2023, I came out to the public and shared my story in the local media sources. Read the articles at Victoria Buzz and Cowichan Valley Citizen.
How I’ve navigated recovery
Because I, unfortunately, was not offered any therapies or services after the tragic event, I did not do much other than rest. However, years later, the best service that I accessed was my local brain injury society, Cowichan Brain Injury Society.
A few years ago, a local lady that was running her own Neurofeedback therapy service reached out and offered some free support, which was awesome, but I did not find it super effective.
Other than that, I continue to eat healthy and exercise, to help combat my challenges.
Life before and after brain injury
Before the traumatic event, on two different occasions I traveled to Tanzania, Africa to volunteer for eight-to-ten-week periods before age twenty-one. Then, my life came crashing down and I hit rock bottom, slipping through the cracks and receiving no medical care or legal help. Now, I am working on overcoming challenges to live a healthier, fuller life. Today there is a lot of recognition happening for people with brain injuries and the impact it has on individuals, families and society.
What I am working towards
- Working with my local MP, Alistair MacGregor, who is petitioning for a new bill (C-277) to pass for more support and advocacy for brain injury. It will bring more support, awareness, prevention, and treatment for people with brain injuries. Read more here.
- I am proud and excited to share a documentary about my brain injury journey. I believe this will help inspire the millions of people with brain injuries, as well as those without
- Hosting a fundraiser and traveling to Uganda, Africa in January 2025. I have two live film screenings of my recent documentary followed by a 15-minute presentation with Q & A on a fundraiser trip to Africa in 2025. I have partnered with a local non-profit volunteer organization that has been helping me along the way and to put together a fundraiser.
Words of support for others
My words of encouragement are to not give up and to find your local brain injury organization and connect with others there. Also, go back to the basics of eating healthy, exercising, and getting good sleep.