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If you would like to attend, please follow this link.

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This proclamation brings important attention to the significant number of Florida residents, including many veterans, who are living with brain injuries. It highlights the complex challenges they often face in key areas of life, including employment, education, housing, and full community integration.

Equally important, the proclamation underscores the need to reduce the stigma associated with brain injury. Through increased education and public awareness, we can foster greater understanding, improve access to support, and help ensure that individuals affected by brain injury are empowered to live full and meaningful lives.

We are grateful for this recognition and the opportunity it provides to elevate awareness across our communities. Together, we can continue working toward a more inclusive and supportive environment for all Floridians impacted by brain injury.

Thank you for your continued support.

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September 21, 2021, my Nephew Demari Turner, while traveling to start his first semester at FAMU was pushed off the road and into a ditch, totaling his car and tossing him from the driver side into the back of his vehicle. He was transported to Shands hospital where he flatlined and was brought back to life. He then fell into a coma due to his injuries. While in the coma, he said he was taken to Heaven by angels and saw the most beautiful things. He was shown different versions of his life and that of his loved ones.

On Earth, the doctors were telling us he suffered severe traumatic brain damage along with some physical injuries, and we should prepare for the worse. Little did we know the journey had just begun. To describe Demari’s journey in one word, it would be strength. Watching him go through something so difficult, choosing to be strong, mentally, physically and spiritually. His journey has me humbled and inspired seeing hope and resilience in him during darkest of moments.

After 7 days, Demari woke up and immediately after regaining his ability to speak, more like mumble his first words were “I am famous yet”.

He was admitted to a rehab facility ran by UF health where after only six months He was not only walking but able to swing a plastic bat, shoot a small basketball into a small hoop. Also, able to read again. God knows where we would be without UF health.

This changed the trajectory of Demari’s life dramatically going from a student athlete to a survivor and changed his approach to life. He had reset and start over and find himself all over again. Now, he no longer expects life to give him anything, rather is grateful for whatever it does.

Witnessing in-person the persistent and consistent effort it took every morning to push thru physical and cognitive therapy, the fight to find himself, was nothing like I have ever seen. I have shifted my priorities to become more of an advocate as my part of Demari’s journey.

After 10 months Demari was released home.

Today, Demari runs his own apparel and fashion company and has made friends with people like Lasean Mccoy former NFL running back and NBA player Trae Mann, whom both have been inspired by Demari’s Journey and supports his company Tykhunllc.

Most common myth about people with brain injuries is that if someone looks fine on the outside, they must be fine, but many brain injury symptoms are invisible, like headaches, memory issues, or difficulty concentrating. Another one is people with brain injuries are doomed to limited lives. This is not always the case, just ask Demari and he will tell with hope in his voice “It Gets Greater Later”.”

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My name is Venessa 

I’m one of the Ambassadors who takes calls for Brain Injury Florida on the Information & Referral Line (BIL), supporting brain injury survivors like myself. I’m also active in the social media community as an advocate—not just for me, but for others walking this same journey, making sure they know they’re not Alone.

Our personal battles can become someone else’s inspiration. Everyone has a story too powerful to keep hidden.

Advocacy has become more than just answering calls and helping people find resources. I also volunteer at a food pantry, where we serve about 65–80 families a day, five days a week. The numbers used to be higher, but due to budget cuts, we’ve had to reduce how many families we can help—just to make sure we can continue serving those in need.

When I was released from the hospital, I was told I could go back to doing whatever I wanted. I could walk, I could talk, and to everyone else, I looked “FINE” But short-term memory, cognitive function, Brain fog, mental clarity, fatigue, Balance issuses and burnout—these challenges are real, and they look different for many of us.

What I didn’t realize at the time was how much I would go through after surviving an aneurysm rupture. Because I looked the same, my family believed everything would go back to normal—and so did I.

I’m incredibly grateful for the support group I found early on in my recovery back in 2019. That was a very difficult time, and joining that group opened so many doors for me. It connected me to resources and people who truly understood.

That experience is what drives me today—to help others find what’s available and to understand that life will be different… and that’s okay.

Acceptance is part of the journey.

On August 9, 2022, I received an email from my recreational nurse from my group asking if I wanted to be part of a new brain injury advocacy program here in Florida. They had received a grant and were looking for board members—and she thought of me.

She believed I could be a voice for brain injury survivors in Florida, especially since there aren’t many resources available once someone leaves the hospital.

Of course, I said yes 

Now, four years later, I’m honored to still be part of it and to watch it grow into something meaningful. From that very first meeting, I knew we were building something important.

One thing I’ve learned along the way is that access to information is everything—but finding people willing to share it isn’t always easy. Even now, I still encounter challenges. That’s why I do what I do—because everyone deserves access, support, and understanding. What I do every day comes from the heart. This is for me, and for everyone on their own unique journey.

I’m a daughter.
I’m a sister.
I’m a wife.
I’m a mother.

Before my injury and after my injury, I have always worked hard at whatever I do. As a brain injury survivor, I give myself Credit.  You would never know what I’ve been through just by looking at me.

You would only know if you truly LISTENED

Yes, it’s real.
No, I’m not pretending.
And yes, I have the medical documentation to prove it.

Trust me… I didn’t ask for this. But here’s why I’m sharing today.

Recently, I attended an event surrounded by people living with invisible disabilities. Looking around the room, I realized something very important: You couldn’t tell who was struggling and who wasn’t. That event reminded me of something that we all need to practice more —slow down and pay attention to the people around you. Not everything in life is a rush. Because the truth is, you never know what someone is carrying. Just like you wouldn’t know what I’m carrying if I didn’t tell you.

You wouldn’t know I live with a brain injury.

Seven years ago, on February 5, 2019, my life changed unexpectedly. I suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm and a hemorrhagic stroke—A type of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). The kind you rarely HEAR about. What I didn’t know was that it was genetic, and that i had two aneurysms one on the left an one on the right. The one on the right has been repaired with a stent and coils. The other is still being monitored yearly with MRA

I was in a coma for  8 days and hospitalized for 21 days. When I woke up, I was confused. I didn’t know what had happened or where I was. I had lost days of my life that I will never get back I didn’t get it…

And yet today—I walk, I smile, and I SHOW UP.

For the first three years, I lived in fear every day. Pero I didn’t show it. Most people couldn’t tell what I was going through because brain injury is INVISIBLE.

The lights were too bright.
The color red hurt my head.
Noise was overwhelming.
Being around people was exhausting.
My memory changed.
Overstimulation was real.

I had to find a new normal. A new version of me. Chach and the hardest part was accepting that the old version of me wasn’t coming back.  Along this journey, I lost people I thought would always be there. But I’ve made peace with that. Not everyone is meant to stay. What I won’t accept is anyone telling me how to heal or how long healing should take.

Brain injury is a life Sentence. Chacho living this life requires a different kind of strength.

That’s why I’m very selective about who I allow in my space. My peace is worth every minute.  I celebrated my Survivors Anniversary last month  not as a reminder of trauma, but as a celebration of my life an how far I’ve come.  I celebrate the small wins. I celebrate progress—no matter how slow. Because progress is still progress. Seven years later, I’ve learned something important:

Healing isn’t about rushing back to who you were.
It’s about learning to live fully with who you are now. And even though life is different, it can still be meaningful, purposeful, and beautiful an full of some amazing moments.

Today, I give back by volunteering with Brain Injury Florida, helping answer calls so survivors know they are not alone. I also volunteer at MSS Food Pantry, helping feed families in need. We serve about 65–80 people a day—nearly 1,400 a month. Helping others helps me heal. Advocating for myself—and others—is everything. Because if you don’t advocate for yourself, many times NO ONE else will.

ESPECIALLY when you DON’T ’t look like what people expect a survivor to look like. So the next time you see someone, don’t rush to judge them. Have compassion.

If you don’t understand invisible disabilities, take the time to educate yourself.

BRAININJURYFL.ORG

Still healing.
Still learning.
Still advocating.
Still grateful.

Mommy, I hope I’m making you proud.

Moving in silence. And remember: Some disabilities… Some silent battles…Look like me. I’m incredibly grateful for the  support group I found early while I was in my recovery back in 2019. That was a very difficult time for me, and joining that group opened so many doors for me. It connected me to resources and people who really understood this world. Invisible injury That experience is what drives me today—to help others find what’s available and to understand that life will be different… and that’s okay. Acceptance is part of the journey.  “It took a lot to get here”

My journey started long before my injury an I didn’t even know it. I lost my mom to a hemorrhagic stroke in 1989 in Brooklyn, New York—the same type of injury that I experienced on February 5, 2019. So this fight is harder then i expected.  In honor of those we’ve lost—especially my mom  This journey hasn’t been easy. It has been challenging. But I’ve learned that acceptance and balance is key. Having a voice matters—especially when it represents those who can’t speak for themselves and those we’ve lost along the way.

Each one, teach one.
No one should feel alone.

What I hope to see in the future is more support—more counselors to help us understand before we are discharged, more social workers to assist with paperwork while we are in the hospital, more neuropsychologists to conduct thorough testing before release, and even more  legal resources to help survivors and families navigate everything, because not every case is only medical.

Thank you for reading.

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For 36 years, I dedicated my life to teaching young children. My days were full of energy, curiosity, and the joy that comes from helping students learn and grow. Outside of school, I was a wife, a mother, and someone who loved spending time with family and friends. Church, celebrations, and family gatherings were an important part of my life. I thrived on being active and present, especially when it meant playing with the children in our family.

Then, one ordinary morning at school changed everything.

The day had started like any other until I suddenly found myself running straight into a concrete block wall. I remember picking myself up off the floor, stunned, holding my bleeding head while searching for my glasses. Everything felt disorienting. I knew something wasn’t right, but I had no idea how my life was about to change.

At the emergency room, doctors performed a CT scan. I was given a bandage for my head because the swelling from the contusion was too severe to be stitched. I was sent home with an ice pack and instructions to take Tylenol for the pain. The doctor explained that my CT scan was clear and added, “You might have a concussion. Follow up with your primary physician tomorrow. ”

I went home with a baseball-sized hematoma on my forehead and very little guidance about what to do next, other than to continue icing the swelling.

The next morning, I called my primary physician and was told to rest for the remainder of the week. I was also told there was no need to come into theoffice. Eventually, I was diagnosed with post- concussion syndrome, and my care was transferred to a neurologist.

That was when my search for answers truly began.

I was experiencing symptoms that would soon affect every part of my life. I had continuous headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to noise and light, and what felt like constant sensory overload. I struggled with brain fog, loss of words, difficulty focusing, and memory problems.

Month after month, I was told the same thing: it would get better with time and that I should avoid pushing myself too hard.  But waiting patiently for improvement was frustrating. I did not feel like myself anymore, and all I wanted was to feel normal again.

Simple outings became exhausting. Even small activities could trigger symptoms that lingered long after the event was over. I would often find myself wondering if attending a gathering or meeting friends for dinner was worth the exhaustion and headache I would feel the following day.

My life had changed. I went from spending full days actively teaching children, attending church, and enjoying social events to searching for anything that might help me regain the life I once had.

One of the most heartbreaking parts of this experience was realizing that I could no longer participate in conversations the way I once had. At restaurants or social gatherings, the noise and stimulation would become overwhelming. Instead of laughing and engaging, I often found myself quietly slipping away to the side, watching others interact while I struggled to keep up.

For someone who had spent decades communicating, teaching, and connecting with others, this loss felt especially painful.  Slowly, with the help of professionals, I began the journey toward healing.

Physical therapy helped reduce my headaches and guided me through exercise at a pace that allowed my body to heal. Cognitive therapy became an essential part of my recovery as I worked to retrain my brain and rebuild skills that once came naturally.

For the past 14 months, I have been learning how to navigate what many survivors call the “new normal.” Recovery has required patience, persistence, and a willingness to celebrate even the smallest victories.

One of the most surprising parts of this journey has been discovering how little people understand about concussions and traumatic brain injuries. A person with a mild brain injury may look completely fine on the outside. Yet only the survivor truly knows what their brain and body are experiencing.

The headaches, fatigue, sensory overload, and cognitive challenges are real—even when they cannot be seen.

I quickly learned that I had to become my own advocate. Finding the right treatments, therapies, and support required persistence and research. Too many people suffering from traumatic brain injuries struggle to find the resources they need to support their recovery. But I have also discovered something incredibly important along the way.

Healing is not something we do alone.  Faith has given me strength during difficult days. My family and friends have offered patience, encouragement, and understanding. Support groups have connected me with others who truly understand the challenges of brain injury. My medical and therapy teams have provided the guidance and care necessary for progress.  Each of these pieces has played an essential role in my healing.

My hope in sharing my story is to bring greater awareness to the realities of mild traumatic brain injury. I want people to understand that even when someone appears fine, they may be facing daily challenges that others cannot see.

Most importantly, I want fellow survivors to know they are not alone.  Recovery from a traumatic brain injury is rarely simple or quick. It requires time, support, and compassion—both from others and from ourselves. But with faith, persistence, and the right support system, healing is possible.

And sometimes, even after life changes in ways we never expected, we can still find strength, purpose, and hope along the journey forward.

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My name is Beatriz Rivero, my accident was on May 23rd of 2015 when I was making a left at a yellow light.  There was a car that “supposedly” in a race. The first car passed me, but the second one T-boned me at, at, according to the police, ninety miles per hour, but according a witness, he was going at least 120mph.

My recovery has been going on for almost 2 years, and I have been told that I am a miracle several times by several different people. I was in a coma for 2 months and a semi-coma for another month and a half.

My recovery has been long, but filled with amazing people, including unlimited support from friends and family!

There are many ways that Beatriz has contributed to assisting others with a brain injury.  To date, Beatriz has completed television interviews, started a blog, and recently, began providing others with a means to network.  If that is not enough, Beatriz is currently writing a book, hoping to release it next year.

Brain Injury Florida is honored to share Beatriz’s story and support a community that amplifies survivors’ voices.

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