Support Scott's Journey to Recovery

On June 19th my brother, Scott, suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) following an unexplained collapse and subsequent impact on a concrete floor. His friends immediately called an ambulance, and after a quick assessment by paramedics he was rushed to St. David's South Austin. A CT showed subdural hemorrhaging and a number of fractured bones in his skull. Due to the severity of the bleeding and pressure in his brain, he underwent surgery for a hemicraniectomy on the morning of Thursday, June 20th, which successfully helped to reduce his intracranial pressure. As a part of the procedure, surgeons removed a bone flap on the left side of his head, as well as a small injured piece of the frontal lobe. The segment of his skull that was removed will remain out for 6-12 weeks while his brain continues to heal.

Scott has been in the Shock and Trauma ICU since the surgery and has endured multiple setbacks, including a bout of pneumonia during his time there. In the last week, however, his medical team was able to remove his breathing tube and bring him off sedation. It is clear that his road to recovery will be a lengthy and challenging one. As he undergoes an extensive rehab program over the next 6-12 months, he will have to relearn how to perform many of the simple day-to-day tasks that we take for granted. While we are all hopeful for a strong recovery, there is no way to predict exactly what level of function will return. That said, the medical team has been impressed with his progress so far - he seems to recognize his friends and family, has done some assisted walking on the ICU floor, and has been able to verbally respond to some questions with one word answers. We are seeing incremental progress every day - and we all agree that Scott is in there, but it's going to take time for him to come back to himself.

As many of you know, Scott is a talented cinematographer/director of photography. He has always taken great pride in his creative prowess and technical ability behind the lens. A few years ago we were so proud to celebrate him winning a Sports Emmy Award on a group project that aired on the Golf Channel. Unfortunately, given that the majority of his work is contract-based, he did not have insurance through an employer and carried only a minimal policy that will ultimately fall far short of covering the full extent of his medical bills. Additionally, he is ineligible for any type of disability or FMLA assistance that might otherwise help cover his bills during his recovery. We've had an incredible outpouring of support for Scott and our family since the accident occurred, and there have been a lot of inquiries about how folks can help. This money will go towards covering his medical expenses and ongoing bills while he recovers.

Thank you all for your love and support!

The Clarks