Support after sustaining a brain injury in a bus accident

November 14th marked one year since the bus accident that curtailed my life as I knew it. I’ve been recovering from a host of symptoms from an acquired brain injury ever since.

I’m happy to report that with the help of an occupational therapist and a physio who specializes in concussions, I’m finally experiencing longer periods free of the ballooning symptoms that have gripped me every day.

I’ve learned a lot about myself this year. About both my own and our society’s skewed views on ableism. About trading labour for a semblance of life. Recovering from this brain injury has forced me to completely stop most of my cherished activities, to drastically slow down, and in doing so many things have become clear.

Before Covid, I was paying my way through a degree in creative writing at UVic by waiting tables. I loved academia as an adult. It was a full-circle moment for a child with deep trauma around school and failure. Covid decimated the service industry, so after a time on CERB, I started looking for other ways to make money. I was given the opportunity to step into the role of lead copywriter for a local creative agency and spent just under a year churning out copy for a decent wage. I learned a great deal and remain very grateful for the opportunity, but after holding my position for 11 months as I recovered, I was laid off to free up a full-time position at the company.

Which brings me to what’s next. During one of the many moments of earlier short-lived progress in this recovery, I reenrolled at UVic. Being enmeshed in learning with other people was both challenging and joyous. I loved it and I want to finish my degree.

Here’s the rub, I don’t come from a background of affluence. In my younger years, my parents helped me survive the year I took out a student loan for film school through a windfall of business ownership that ultimately led to their bankruptcy. My incredibly hard-working mother has since put herself through school and is finding success as a professional coach. She needs to save for retirement. My life as an active alcoholic and drug addict had me spend much more than I ever made. In my seven years clean and sober I’ve rebuilt reasonable credit, but my options for borrowing money for school are slim.

So I’m trying to fundraise. It feels shameful to be a 44-year-old white man (seemingly) reaching out to ask for money to finish a degree. There are so many people who need help and really, shouldn’t I save my GoFundMe for the possibility of cancer or a rare neurological disorder?

Thus far, I don’t have the capacity to grind through a service job while taking part time courses, so I’m reaching out to ask for help to be a full time student for the remaining two years of my creative writing/journalism degree.

Ideally, I raise enough money that the funds are used to pay for classes/fees and keep me buoyant while finishing my degree.

My intersecting communities have raised me up through so much. Thank you for all your support in helping finish something really important to me and my writing career.