In My Own Words: Living with Traumatic Brain Injury

Ted Goodrich had everything going for him at age twenty-three, but he didn’t realize it until it was all taken away. He had just finished playing in a softball game when he went home to get changed before meeting some friends. His friends wondered why he never showed up. They found out why when they learned he’d been found unconscious at the bottom of his apartment stairs. He had a fractured skull, severe brain swelling, and bleeding in and around his brain. Everyone thought he would die, including doctors who told his mom she may want to consider taking him off life support. But instead, she approved a risky surgery, and ten days after his accident, he woke up from a coma. But life was different: Goodrich had no memories and had to learn how to walk and talk again. His life became a never-ending series of sessions with physical therapists, speech therapists, and other specialists. Very few people are able to survive the type of accident that Goodrich endured, and those who do must learn to live a new life. Find out how he has endured in this story defined by faith, courage, love, and family.

Forword Clarion Review: 

Goodrich's rocky road to recovery was miraculous. He died four times in the ambulance, and the doctors said the would either be  in a coma forever or have significant brain damage.  While he was unconscious, his mother approved a risky surgery to remove part of his skull; this left him with post-traumatic amnesia and years of therapy ahead of him. The story, which has all the makings of a Hollywood tearjerker.

Kirkus Review:

In telling his story, Goodrich has a tendency to overemphasize, unnecessary information, relating extensive medical explanations and tiny details from the scenes her re-creates.  When those scenes of non-recognition and personal struggle get going, however, they can be candid, heartbreaking, and exceptionally insightful.  His lucid descriptions often reveal an unexpected range of emotions that go far beyond the expected despair or determinations found in similar stories.

Ted Goodrich had everything going forhim at age twenty-three, but he didn't realize it until it was alltaken away.


He had just finished playing in asoftball game when he went home to get changed before meeting somefriends. His friends wondered why he never showed up.


They found out why when they learnedhe'd been found unconscious at the bottom of his apartment stairs. Hehad a fractured skull, severe brain swelling, and bleeding in andaround his brain.


Everyone believed he would dieincluding doctors who explained to his mom she may want to considertaking him off life support. But instead, she approved a riskysurgery, and then days after his accident, he awakened from his coma.


But life was different; Goodrich had nomemories and had to learn how to walk and talk again. His life becamea never ending series of sessions with physical therapists, speechtherapists, and other specialists. Very few people survive the typeof injury that Goodrich sustained and those who do must learn to livea new life. Find out how he has endured in this story defined byfaith, courage, love and family.


Ted Goodrich is a single father andlives in Rib Lake, WI. He enjoys raising his two teenage daughtersand watching them grow in their endeavors. Ted volunteers his time asa Manager of a Men's amateur baseball team in the summer. Somehobbies is playing piano and drawing.