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.

• The Story You Get to Write
  By Debi Lemon It wasn’t supposed to go this way.One moment, you were you—Moving through life,Holding it together (or faking it pretty well).Then it hit.Maybe slowly, maybe all at once—But suddenly, the world was before and after. Everything changed. 💔The way your body moved—or didn’t.The way people looked at you.The way you looked at yourself. You mourned.You raged.You ...
• Race to Rebuild T-Shirt Design Contest
  We crossed the finish line strong for the 2025 Race to Rebuild and now we are excited to announce something new for the 2026 Race to Rebuild! That’s right, we are hosting a T-Shirt design contest! What better way to honor and celebrate the Trauma Survivors Network community than by having the art designed by ...
• Gifts of Perspective (video)
  Video shared by Anxiety & Depression Association of America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvZQ80Fc40k The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), a non-profit organization, leads in education, training, and research for anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, OCD, and co-occurring disorders. ADAA also provides free evidence-based mental health information and resources to the public.
• Center Shout-Out: UPMC Williamsport
  Trauma Survivorship in Full Bloom at UPMC Williamsport What started as a small event to recognize the resilience of survivors, has bloomed into an annual tradition for the survivors and Trauma Services team at UPMC Williamsport.   UPMC Williamsport became an accredited Level II Adult Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF) in 2021, and ...
• Integrating Survivors with Frontline Trauma Providers
  The commentary below was published in Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open in January, 2025. It was written by two members of the ATS board, Anna Newcomb and Geralyn Ritter. The commentary reflects on how integrating survivors into trauma teams improves trauma care, trauma teams, and research.
• Vansh’s Story
  Video created by Phoebe Putney Health System The night of my high school graduation was supposed to be a time of celebration and excitement for the future. But in a split second, everything changed. What happened that night was completely unexpected and left me with life-altering injuries, as well as the heartbreaking loss of someone close ...
• What is PTSD? (video)
  Video shared by Anxiety & Depression Association of America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IojLqCgQb2Q The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), a non-profit organization, leads in education, training, and research for anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, OCD, and co-occurring disorders. ADAA also provides free evidence-based mental health information and resources to the public.
• From a Conversation to a Movement: The Story Behind TandemStride
  By Matt Kalina, Founder & CEO, TandemStride When my older brother Mark lost both of his legs in a train accident in 2012, our lives changed forever. I was a senior in college at the time, working part-time at the Ohio Statehouse and sharing the same campus as Mark. We were close—not just brothers, but best ...
• Abbey’s Story
  We recommend you watch Abbey’s Video in Full Screen mode! It will never get easier being a trauma survivor and that’s ok. Being a survivor lets you see the world different. The side of the vehicle I was riding in was T-boned by an eighteen wheeler at highway speeds and pushed nearly 75 yards before both ...
• Center Shoutout: HCA Florida Lawnwood
  I’ve found that TSN Coordinators hate to brag about themselves. Fortunately, I saw JJ in-person at TCAA and she mentioned she received the Frist Humanitarian Award at her center, in part because of the Trauma Survivors Network work that she does! So please join me in celebrating JJ and the amazing work she is doing ...