Damage Control: A Brain Injury Survivor Helps You Beat the Odds

It’s October of 1993 in Hawaii. A drunk driver hurtles toward a bend in the road. From the opposite direction, accomplished advertising creative and triathlete Phil Slott takes a routine drive. As he eases into the bend, he meets the drunk driver skidding into the wrong lane and, in one second, Phil’s life takes a dramatic turn.

As he struggles to stay alive in the ICU, Phil’s organs, bones, and much of his brain are broken. What he and everyone else come to realize is that his creative drive and passion remain intact. And these abilities serve as the foundation for his arduous yet inspiring road to recovery.

This is more than his story. Written in collaboration with his wife, Mary Spears, Damage Control: A Brain Injury Survivor Helps You Beat the Odds is a tough-love conversation and guide for those who have survived a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to help them regain hope and quality of life.

Phil Slott is known for many high-profile slogans including Gillette's "Never let 'em see you sweat" and the US Navy's "It's not just a job, it's an adventure." He worked at several New York advertising agencies before finishing his career as chairman at BBDO/London and Tracy Locke. He was working as a consultant in Hawaii when he was hit by a drunk driver.

Mary Spears worked in the advertising business for many years before turning her attention full-time to her art. She works in oils, watercolor, collage, and print making and has had her work featured in galleries and magazines.