Happy to Work Hard to Become an Art Teacher

Peter’s fall —over 30 feet onto pavement—and subsequent severe traumatic brain injury isn’t going to stop him from his original goal of becoming an art teacher. It’s just going to be a longer journey.

When Peter entered the emergency at UVM’s medical center in October 2018, he was at the lowest on the Glasgow Coma Scale. With a mortality rate of 89% for blunt head trauma, surviving the injury was the first hurdle. Statistics show 7% survive in a vegetative state. Because of the excellent medical care Peter received, he fell into the 4% —those who not only survive but survive with satisfactory results. His parents and friends think he falls into the .00001% …he not only survived but is the funny, intelligent, loving person we all knew…just with added challenges. And, he still wants to be an art teacher. Who are we to say he cannot?

The pivotal point in Peter’s rehabilitation since being released from the hospital came August and September 2021, when he received 40 sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).  He had made steady but slow progress over the nearly 3 years since coming home. After therapies stopped, his parents felt lost; they were certain that Peter was capable of more recovery. After three months of research, they determined HBOT was a viable answer. HBOT is considered experimental for traumatic brain injury, is not covered by most insurances, and is an expensive treatment. The 8 months following HBOT have been nothing short of sensational. Peter has gained awareness of his body and surroundings; this has enabled him to hear and respond to his bladder and bowels, work hard both independently and with his caregiver, parents, physical and occupational therapists, chew more foods (he used to consume almost entirely blended food), and use a rollator walker more and more every day. He took his first college class Spring of 2022 at Community College of Vermont (CCV) and, although it was a great deal of effort, he earned an A.

Peter’s desire before his accident was to become an art teacher—and that hasn’t changed. Peter had initially gone to college to major in art education and minor in linguistics. His brain injury has made speech difficult, but he is determined to speak more clearly every day. Nothing will come easy. But that does not daunt Peter. He still wants to become an art teacher. His determination to fulfill this dream—even after his accident—lead his mother to ask why he wanted to become an art teacher. He felt it was important for young minds to learn how to express themselves through art and remain open-minded. He hopes to volunteer at the Upper Valley Haven, continue therapies, get another round of HBOT under his belt, and enroll in more classes at CCV. The family is deeply grateful to the medical professionals that have guided Peter through his journey, friends and family near and far who have expressed and shown support, and the Upper Valley community, who came together to comfort and support us every step of the way.

Below is a video that condenses Peter’s journey into a few minutes so that you can see the distance he has traveled in his brain journey.