Jack suffers brain injury after being knocked down by lorry
By Aimee Walsh
A YOUNG man who suffered a serious brain injury after being hit by a lorry is inspiring others to keep fighting as part of Brain Awareness Week from March 15-21.
Jack Doran was knocked down by a lorry on the M6 motorway in the UK after travelling for a family funeral. His life changed forever as he suffered life-threatening injuries and was placed in a coma for multiple weeks.
Jack Doran suffered a brain injury following an accident while attending a family funeral
“I was badly injured and was in a coma. I broke my jaw in three places, I have all false teeth. I got stitches in my head, I broke my foot, I damaged my pelvis – I was in a bad way and my family didn’t think I would make it. They said if I did make it, I was going to have to be fed, watered and dressed every day and wouldn’t have any quality of life.
“Now look at me – I’m here. I cook for myself, clean for myself do my own washing. I am doing well – I am a living miracle in a lot of ways.” says Jack.
One of the side effects of the brain injury Jack acquired was memory loss, and family members feared he would not remember them, but Jack explains his memory is coming back slowly.
“My memory is still a bit iffy but it’s coming back great now, my parents thought that I wouldn’t recognise them, that I might not recognise my own kid, I have a son that is 12 now. They were told I might not recognise anyone and start over again but thank god I recognise the family and everyone.”
Prior to the accident, Jack was working as a tiler and enjoyed life.
“Life was brilliant, fabulous. I was driving and working. I was engaged to a girl and my son lived in England, so I used to go and see him and sent him money from the western union every week when I got paid. Life was brilliant, life was really good.”
When Jack returned home from hospital, he began to live in an Acquired Brain Injury Ireland residential service in Lucan, which is helping him to gain back his confidence and independence.
“I have a washing machine in my room, so I do my own washing, I clean my room every week and wash my bedding every week, I have a telly in my room with Netflix.
“I do my own shopping every Wednesday. I do a weekly shop, the girls bring me down and drop me off at SuperValu and I go in and get bits and bobs and come back. Before this they would have brought me down and back but now, I am independent, so I want to go on my own.
“It’s a home away from home. I love being here – the girls are amazing they help you every step of the way. It’s amazing how much I have come on, I have come on leaps and bounds.
“I would be lost if I didn’t come here and get so much support and help where would I be now. The support and help I get here is second to none. The staff are brilliant and help me all the time.”
After working hard with the staff of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland to gain his life and independence back, Jack is now looking forward to what the future holds for him.
“Going back home, I want to get my own place and have my own two-bedroom for me and my son. Get back working and driving. I am a tiler I have done that for years, so I want to get back at that, I love that. When I started tiling, I fell in love with that job and I thought this is me. That is the goal. When I am doing tiling, I go to work with a smile on my face.”
READ MORE: Every brain injury is unique and affects people in different ways
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