Seventeen-year-old Colin Chandler of East Jackson High School in Commerce, GA was driving to a District Honor Band event when a Chevy Silverado crossed the centerline and hit his car head-on. Instead of spending his summer preparing for college, he is in intensive daily therapy for his traumatic brain injury.  


Todd Chandler, Colin’s father and a high school chorus teacher, explained, “My son has a brilliant and beautiful mind! Even with missing most of the last semester of his senior year, he still graduated fourth in his class. However, his plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering are on hold so that he can take a year off for intensive therapy before enrolling in college.”



Colin is also a gifted musician who at eleven years of age had his face publicized on brochures and billboards in Pigeon Forge, TN as a singer,  fiddler, and performer, even performing with Dolly Parton! Here is the fiddlin' sensation playing and singing with the Country Tonite Band in Pigeon Forge.                                                                                                            See:  https://www.facebook.com/ColinTraceChandlerFanClub/ 


While juggling his performances, he returned to East Jackson where he traveled with his father’s middle and high school choruses as they performed in Orlando, Pearl Harbor (USS Missouri and USS Arizona Memorial), and New York’s Carnegie Hall.  He was involved in All State choruses and the Governor’s Honors Program. He was also active in other performing arts, and he played the saxophone in the high school marching band.



Then the Chevy Silverado crossed the center line. He was transported to Atlanta Medical Center via Life Flight. Colin was left with a shattered vertebrae, and serious brain trauma. He underwent several surgeries including a craniotomy where approximately half of the bone from his skull was removed and suffered a stroke in the process. He received a permanent shunt (used to drain extra cerebrospinal fluid).  It will remain in his head for the remainder of his life.


Once released from ICU after 39 days, Colin was sent to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta where he underwent rehabilitation for three weeks. He received speech, physical and occupational therapy.  He was then transferred to Shepherd Pathways in Decatur where he is currently working hard to continue his rehabilitation.


Although able to walk at his graduation he remains in speech, physical and occupational therapy four days a week.

He will see his Neurologist for the rest of his life.

Colin’s recovery and his medical expenses will be long and extensive, but YOU can help!

Please donate and then share his Go Fund Me on Face Book and social media. Colin and his family  would greatly appreciate your assistance!  
 
Let’s work together to help Colin conquer his traumatic brain injury and continue making great music!
 
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