Episode 37: Nicholas Ruchlewicz on Moving Forward following a Brain Injury

Nicholas Ruchlewicz was in a single vehicle motorcycle crash on March 15, 2016, and suffered a separated pelvic circle, broken Sacro-iliac, crushed left orbital, massive concussion, and a right-side brain bleed and hematoma. He was in ICU, for 2 weeks, non-cognizant, then in an acute rehab hospital for 2 weeks, learning how to focus, move his left side, and see.His trauma and brain injury have allowed him to become an advocate, he calls it “A Gift of Perspective”. He is very vocal about his mental health, and advocates for males, and others for mental wellness. He is a volunteer for https://www.traumasurvivorsnetwork.org/, a Peer Mentor” at an Acute Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as a political advocate for accessible mental health and support. He believes we all have emotions, and its “Okay to not be OK”. He has done a lot of work with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) before his trauma, and that is a reason, he believes, he is “still here.” He believes that, "Our minds can be dark, and it's important to look at the corners for the light. Life is a 4-letter word, it depends on how you use it.”