Mind Matters: Navigating Head Injuries and Concussions – Surviving a Coma: Joe Wilson’s Brain Injury Story
Hosted by Kiley Como | Guest: Joe Wilson, Photographer & TBI Survivor
When the dust settles after a traumatic event, what comes next? For brain injury survivor Joe Wilson, recovery wasn’t just about healing, it was about rediscovery, resilience, and reclaiming his identity.
In Part 2 of our Mind Matters conversation, Joe returns to share what true recovery looks like after a traumatic brain injury, and how he transformed tragedy into a purpose-driven life.
From First Words to First Steps
After spending weeks in a coma and emerging into post-traumatic amnesia, Joe’s recovery began with small but meaningful milestones. Saying his first word. Attending a music festival with his family. Then the real work started.
Joe received intensive inpatient care: physical therapy to strengthen his weakened right side, speech therapy to restore his voice, and neuropsychology to help him understand what had happened to his brain. With support from professionals and family members, many of whom worked in healthcare, Joe’s recovery accelerated quickly. He left the hospital just five weeks after his accident.
Back at school, he faced a new challenge: returning to normal. He was the first student at his school to experience a traumatic brain injury of this scale. Teachers were trained. Specialists visited. Peers supported him. But still, Joe struggled with how different he felt from who he used to be.
The Hidden Battle: Memory and Emotion
The hardest part of recovery wasn’t physical. It was emotional and cognitive. Joe opened up about the lasting effects of his brain injury on memory and emotional regulation.
His short-term memory remains deeply affected. He forgets names, dates, even meaningful life events. At the same time, he has vivid recall of oddly specific moments from years ago. This disconnect is frustrating, especially when it touches moments with people he loves.
In the years following his injury, Joe also struggled with emotional volatility. He believes damage to his prefrontal cortex altered how he processed emotion and judgment. This led him into a toxic relationship, which strained his family ties during an already fragile time.
Despite all of this, Joe kept moving forward. He remained positive. He leaned on his neuropsychology training and ADHD coping tools. And above all, he chose not to define himself by what had happened.
Turning Recovery Into Purpose
Joe eventually found photography as a creative outlet, one that allowed him to process his experience and communicate what words could not. While completing his degree at an art university, he created a powerful photo book that revisited the scene of his accident and included interviews with family members about their own trauma.
His mission became clear. He didn’t just want to heal. He wanted to help.
Joe has begun pursuing ways to turn his personal journey into professional advocacy. He is seeking publishers for his book, working with brain injury charities like Headway UK, and planning to enter the field of teaching so he can connect with and support neurodiverse students.
He’s also supported children with disabilities in care settings, where his lived experience has made him an empathetic and trusted mentor.
Living With the Invisible
As Joe explains, traumatic brain injury is often an invisible disability. To most people, he looks “normal.” But inside, he is still navigating challenges daily; challenges with attention, emotional control, and memory.
His hope is to break through that invisibility. To educate others. To show that while brain injury may not always leave visible scars, the impact is lifelong and deeply personal.
Final Reflections: From Survivor to Advocate
Kiley Como closed the episode by asking Joe what message he would share with brain injury survivors, providers, or anyone facing life-changing trauma.
Joe’s answer was clear: this is not the end. There is always hope.
He encouraged others to reject the victim mindset and embrace what is still possible. He reminded listeners that trauma does not erase your future. It just changes your path. And with the right mindset, support, and perseverance, that path can still lead somewhere meaningful.
Join the Conversation
Joe’s story is a powerful reminder of how recovery is not just physical—it’s emotional, mental, and deeply human. If his experience resonated with you or someone you love, we encourage you to connect with us.
Leave a comment, share this episode, and let us know:
Have you faced a life-altering challenge that shaped your identity or purpose?
Have you walked beside someone through recovery from a brain injury?
Your voice matters here. It helps others feel seen and heard.
➡️ Watch now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LsbLl_UmPB4
💬 Have a question for Joe? Leave a comment below!
And as always, if you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash or traumatic event,
In pain? Call Shane!
📞 980-999-9999
