Survivor Stories

Many of the TSN members have shared their experiences about life after injury and the road to recovery. A selection of these stories is listed below. Reading other’s stories can help you connect to others and not feel alone in your recovery. You may also discover some ideas that may be helpful to you. You may wish to read several stories to get a number of perspectives on injury and recovery.

After joining the TSN you can share your own story with others. Writing about your experiences can help both you and others. You can benefit by taking time to reflect on your injury, how you have coped and where you are on the road to recovery. Other folks can benefit by realizing they are not alone in their recovery. If you are already a TSN member, click here to share your story in the community forum. If you have not registered (it’s free), please register now and then you can share your story.

• SCI Caregiver Webinar
  Understanding Caregivers Unmet Needs and Resources  Who’s Caring for the Caregivers? Caregivers of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are often juggling care, stress, finances, and their own health for decades. In this powerful webinar from NASCIC SCI Connections, Dr. Denise Fyffe and Dr. Jeanne Zanca from the Kessler Foundation dive deep into what SCI caregivers are really facing and what we can do to help. From emotional burnout ...
• Patient education series: Rib Fractures
  The Patient Education Series from the journal, Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, is articles focused on providing understanding of trauma and emergency surgery conditions. All the articles in this series have been reviewed by members of the TSN community!
• Guest Appearance: Surviving the Impact
  Nicholas P. Ruchlewicz, trauma and brain injury survivor, appeared as a guest on When “Not Yet” Becomes “Right Now” a mental health podcast about the moments that sparked change. The webinar host, Jen, sees her podcast as a platform to explore the many different paths that lives can take. https://youtu.be/Nb1mSi1JMkA Check out the episode description ...
• Back-to-School 2025
  Back-to-School Tips for Pediatric Trauma Survivors: A Trauma-Informed Approach By Rosemary Williams The start of a new school year can bring excitement, but for pediatric trauma survivors, it may also trigger anxiety, overwhelm, and fear. Trauma can affect how children think, feel, and respond in the classroom, hallways, and playground. By applying Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) principles, caregivers ...
• Malikah’s Story
  Malikah’s Story After being involved in a car crash, everything changed for me. The impact wasn’t just physical, it altered how I move through the world. Driving, something I once did without a second thought, now brings anxiety and fear. As a driver or passenger, my body tells the story before words can. My jaw clenches, ...
• Lisa’s Story
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U8ZErvNc7s Youtube video by MADD RI. On January 11, 2022, I was hit head on by a drunk driver traveling on the wrong side of a local highway.  My injuries were quite extensive, including multiple breaks to all four limbs as well as internal injuries.  Due to the extent of my injuries, I had to ...
• Idea to Impact: 2025
  Check out these amazing presentations from the 2024-2025 TSN Grant recipients! The TSN Grants are supported by the Race to Rebuild and are awarded to TSN grant programs to implement an aspect of their program or to grow services available to TSN survivors and their loved ones. Part 1: July 17th, 2025 https://vimeo.com/1103897440?share=copy Part 2: July 24th, ...
• From Survivor To Mentor
  In this video, Thomas Stephenson, TandemStride’s Chief of Staff, Mentor, and traumatic injury survivor, shares his story: the moment everything changed, the quiet grief of coming home, and how a peer mentor gave him something even his exceptional clinical care couldn’t—connection with somebody who understood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMvLZ1jlKS0 Visit TandemStride to Learn More
• Trauma Survivors Network: history and evolution of a program empowering survivors and families impacted by traumatic injury
  The Trauma Survivors Network (TSN), a program of the American Trauma Society (ATS), has a unique history spanning decades with a vision to continue expanding and strengthening services to support survivors and families impacted by traumatic injury. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ATS has adapted TSN services to provide both virtual and in-person services for ...
• Well Within Reach: TSN Featured on Podcast
  Dana is the TSN Coordinator for Riverside Medical Center. Her center joined the Trauma Survivors Network earlier this year and she is working hard to raise awareness. When asked about being a guest on the podcast, Dana responded “Our goal for this one was to introduce the TSN program to our general community. The hope ...