The last thing Aidan remembers of December 4, 2015 was getting into a friend’s car for a sleepover. He doesn’t recall their car reaching speeds of 80 mph in a residential area. That the driver, who was under the influence, lost control of the car. That they hit a brick wall. Head on.

Aidan was not wearing a seatbelt and his head first dented the dashboard and then shattered the windshield. Found unconscious, he was rushed to the trauma center. His diagnosis? Diffuse axonal injury; severe traumatic brain injury. His prognosis? Grim.

Aidan warns teens against the dangers of drinking and driving. Teens don’t believe such a catastrophic accident is possible; they are, after all, testing their limits. His biggest piece of advice is to always protect yourself and your friends. 

Despite being told he wouldn’t attend school until the following September, Aidan went to school the day after he was discharged from inpatient rehabilitation. Aidan simply wanted to be an ordinary teen. His mindset was “I’m going to get better. I truly believe that this will not hold me back in life.” Although his injury continues to impact his daily life, he wanted to push the limits and test his abilities.

Returning to school was challenging. He was treated differently and felt like an outsider, even around life-long friends. Not to mention, he was simply exhausted. Able to maintain concentration for only 15 minutes at a time, effective learning and completing homework were impossible. What is it like to be a 16-year-old boy recovering from a brain injury? “It’s tough. There’s no doubt about that.” 

Aidan was afraid of almost everything. He feared living with this brain injury for the rest of his life and being unable to pursue his dreams. That his future was so unknown was terrifying. Aidan questioned everything that he did. Aidan experienced severe, uncontrollable anger for months following the crash hurting those who loved him the most and resulting in the loss of friendships. Yet another loss as a result of his injury.

Afraid to return to his high school for senior year, Aidan finished high school in Viterbo, Italy. Aidan was seeking his own path forward, looking for a way to diminish the stress of feeling like an outsider. The change in culture was an amazing, life-changing experience. It opened Aidan’s mind to the larger world awaiting him. The experience was instrumental to his recovery.

Upon his return from Italy, Aidan’s applied to and was accepted at ICON Collective, a year-long music production academy. 

Aidan struggles with depression and considered suicide on a number of occasions. Knowing that tomorrow is another day kept Aidan moving forward. At every turn, he reflected on accepting change and seeking opportunity. Realizing that life can change in an instant – for the better – was reassuring. He stayed true to himself, kept pushing forward and accepted that he will feel sad. He acknowledged that mental healing takes time and effort.

Aidan’s dad came out as gay two months before the car accident. Aidan struggled with knowing this would change his life, day to day, how he lived, and how he viewed the world. Aidan was angry with the world, angry with having to deal with his brain injury, having to move, and the inevitable change in his life. Aidan loves his dad deeply yet admits taking out some of his anger on him.

He aims to reach as many as he can in the hopes that his experiences help transform their life for the better. He hopes people can come out of their shells and show who they really are and push for greatness. “Every single human can achieve greatness – whether they have a brain injury, learning disability, or a challenging situation. You can turn anything into gold.”

Resources

An Unexpected Launch