It has been 12 years. 12 years since Nick Jr. was reported dead after an assault and flat lined for 25 minutes. He spent weeks in a coma and a year and a half at Centre for Neuron Skills for an anioxy brain injury. This is not only Nick Jr.’s story, but the story of his family.
A Mother’s Story
It changed our family! We didn’t know all the challenges that we were gonna go through after he got released from the hospital. But as a family, we all pull together, and we were all his advocate and to find ways from the old Nick to who he is now.
My son changed everything. As his mom, I mourn the lost who my son was before his TBI, starting over to understand the new person, to understanding the “new” him.
When I speak to people about our son’s TBI. I call it the invisible injury. I tell them he is a survivor. He may look fine and physically, but he struggles on his motor skills.
As his mom, I will never give up! Nick started running again. He found his love and passion again, his strength and resilience, and his purpose is to run for others that can’t run who are struggling with a traumatic brain injury. My joy and love is to see him run 5K-10k-Half Marathons -Marathons. Nick has a smile that is captivating and compassionate to others.
As a family, we pray for people in the hospital to find resources and parents dealing with their child, that have a TBI. Our son tells them his story and testimony and not to give up on their child. He tells them he is a miracles who flatlined for 25 min and by The Grace Of God he is Alive!
We also had another road block with myself. I found out I had breast “c” in October of 2025. Right when we found out, we got together as a family. Our son started praying really heavy over me and said another miracle was gonna take place. Today, I’m cancer free.
I don’t have any more sleepless nights or overwhelming sadness anymore, because today, our son is living life!
A Father’s Story
I believe I did what most fathers would do for their son. In a similar way, what Jesus Christ did for all of us, I can’t explain it any better than that. I can’t begin to imagine the struggle and toil, the misunderstanding, of the daily pain our son Nick goes through. Nick, exemplifies, courage, strength, and a wilt to fight and all the while, he does it with a smile on his face. The father teaches the son, but in this season of our life, my son teaches me. He never give upon hope to keep pushing when it’s hard and to have an imagination and above all a faith that will one day turn into an incredible testimony.
One of the biggest questions ever asked by all of us is what if? What if it never happened, what if he completed his education, what if he was married, what if I could hold his children? My struggle does not compare to the struggles of my son. We have a family that helps to put him first to help give him the tools it takes to go through the daily life where 99% of us take for granted the little things.
Nick is an incredible man, yes, he is my son, but he’s an incredible example of perseverance. But we as a family will put our trust in Jesus Christ and we will hold firm to our faith that one day. Nick will have all the things and all the blessings that he deserves.
Nick’s Story
The video below goes into more details about Nick’s story. What we would love to highlight is what Nick is doing now. Nick has a community of runners around him that help support him during marathons and life. Event directors for Marathons have been so inspired by Nick’s testimony and challenges that they are working with Nick to adapt race supports. For instance, Nick has struggles cortical vision, peripheral vision, and motor dexterity in his hands, this can make it hard for him to grab cups to hydrate along the trail. He is bringing awareness to his community around TBI, and his community in turn is helping him to cross the finish line.
The Burriel Family would like to especially thank 2CM (Two Cities Marathon), California Classic Run, Fleet Feet Store, Visalia Trail Half Marathon, and Coach Jesus Campos.
