Help Mary Recover and Rebuild After a Traumatic Brain Injury

Life can change in an instant, and my friend Mary’s story is a powerful reminder of that. She was vibrant and active, working as an animal handler/ trainer. She had run her own travel agency. She is a huge Disney fan, and was a frequent visitor to their parks (and competitor in their races) – and loved helping others experience her favorite Disney attractions, places, characters, animals, and foods, both one-on-one and through her work as a professional contributor to various social media platforms about Central Florida theme parks. And speaking of food, you don’t know Mary if you don’t know how much she loves to experiment in the kitchen.

She was just shy of qualifying for workplace benefits in a new role she was excited about, a job that rekindled her passion from her psychology undergrad days when she worked with dolphins and autistic children. That opportunity, along with her active lifestyle, was swept away in March 2023, when Mary suffered a traumatic brain injury in a workplace accident. She was struck in the nose by a heavy metal door handle, resulting in a fractured cribriform plate, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and several facial fractures.

My name is David, and I'm asking for your support for my college classmate and dear friend, Mary Morales. Although we weren’t close 30 years ago in college, we've become good friends over the past decade, sharing our love for animals and supporting each other through life’s ups and downs.

This accident has drastically changed Mary’s life. Despite her resilience and optimism, the past 18 months have been extremely challenging for her. The profound impacts of Mary’s experience are detailed further below:

At the time of the incident, Mary required multiple surgeries (with more since, and more still to come) and a lengthy hospital stay from early March until Easter. She has also developed traumatic temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), chronic headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and loss of smell and taste.

During her early treatment, suboptimal care resulted in missed critical injuries, including a dislocated jaw and optic nerve damage that puts her vision at risk. Due to surgical errors, her sinuses sustained further damage, significantly impacting her breathing and sleep.

Mary struggles with cognitive decline, PTSD, and panic attacks. Despite holding multiple degrees, including one from Yale, and loving complex math, today she can’t even make change or calculate a tip. Issues from a mishandled spinal drain have left her with a loss of sensation in her hands, leading to frequent burns. Nerve damage and muscle tears in her legs, ankle, and shoulder have made mobility a constant challenge.

She now faces significant physical and cognitive struggles that make it even more challenging to navigate a broken workers' compensation system in Florida, where the insurer effectively dictates who provides your care. In my assessment, Mary’s assigned Medical Care Coordinator and healthcare providers have repeatedly validated that they do not always work for Mary’s benefit, and have demonstrated that the system does not prioritize her health to the point of almost inhumane treatment, and benefit decisions that constitute nothing short of callous disregard for both her short- and long-term wellbeing.

Mary was re-injured twice due to overt failures to manage her case and care appropriately. First, workers' compensation wouldn’t pay for a shower chair, leading to a fall through a glass shower door that severely damaged her right ankle, knee, and shoulder. Later, inappropriate medical transport—a large truck—led to another fall, dislocating her right shoulder again. These further injuries have added complexity to her recovery and intensified her need for specialized care.

To make matters worse, the workers’ compensation insurer recently suspended Mary's already-limited wage replacement benefits (her only source of income right now). She is appealing this unfair determination, but that will take months. After a year-and-a-half tapping savings, Mary is now in a precarious financial situation. The first $15,000 of this campaign is critical to helping Mary cover basic living expenses while her appeals are ongoing. While she is applying for other benefits and government assistance, too, these resources are limited and will likewise take months to process.

Today, Mary has frequent medical appointments, twice-weekly in-home physical and occupational therapy, and requires around-the-clock home health aides without whom she can’t go anywhere. Her healthcare providers have recommended a number of additional home modifications and medical equipment upgrades to ensure her safety and independence. Her occupational therapist is recommending enhancements for her kitchen to allow her more independence with cooking.

Despite everything, Mary remains determined to regain some independence and work toward a new normal. I’m not letting her go through this alone. It has become obvious that Mary cannot rely on a system that has repeatedly failed her without a professional healthcare advocate focused on her needs to help assess her current status, build a plan for her healthcare journey, and advocate on her behalf on an ongoing basis.

Initial Campaign Target: $75,000

Mary needs help to cover ongoing out-of-pocket medical expenses, medical equipment, (non-workers’ comp) legal and healthcare advocacy costs, and critical home modifications.

Here’s an initial breakdown of the potential costs based on her providers’ recommendations:

These expenses are just the beginning. However, it’s crucial that we start now to ensure Mary has the support she needs. After addressing immediate short-term needs, the remaining funds raised will be allocated into a third-party Special Needs Trust (SNT), or a similar legal arrangement, designed to cover Mary's ongoing requirements for equipment, home modifications, legal and advocacy services, and other needs, while ensuring the protection of her eligibility for benefits.

Mary has always been strong and independent, but now she needs our help. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference in her life. If you can't donate, please share this campaign with your friends, family, and networks.

Thank you for taking the time to read Mary's story. Together, we can help Mary recover and rebuild her life.