1. Still We Rise (2011)
This short documentary follows several injury survivors—including one with a TBI—as they engage in a five-day intensive rehabilitation program called the Warrior Games. Their grit in adaptive sports and community support highlights how recovery can be dramatically transformative.

2. Concussion (2015) – Documentary-style
Although technically a Hollywood film, Concussion (starring Will Smith) straddles a documentary feel. It explores chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in football players, bringing attention to repeated head trauma and its long-term neurological effects.

3. The Crash Reel (2013)
A gripping look at extreme athlete Kevin Pearce, whose promising snowboarding career was derailed by a traumatic brain injury. The film tracks his accident, early recovery, and the emotional challenges facing him and his family—not just physically, but in the struggle to redefine his identity.

4. Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science – Lynn Margulis Special (2019)
Although not solely TBI-focused, this film includes narratives about brain injury, especially through women in science who discuss neurological resilience and recovery. It’s a profound reminder that brain health touches every corner of our lives.

5. Unseen Skies (2021)
While Unseen Skies is more broadly about art and mental health, it includes subjects who discuss brain trauma and recovery through creative expression. The poetic cinematography reflects on how art becomes part of healing and meaning-making.

6. My Beautiful Broken Brain (2016)
One of the most deeply personal TBI documentaries, this film chronicles Lotje Sodderland’s journey after a hemorrhagic stroke and brain injury. She documents her whole recovery: memory loss, her altered perception of the world, and her path toward self-redefinition. It’s raw, intimate, and emotionally honest.

7. Head Games (2012)
This documentary investigates the culture of concussions in American football—but it’s also broader. It shows the long-term neurological consequences of repeated head trauma, through interviews with current and former athletes, medical experts, and researchers.

8. When I Walk (2013)
Directed by Jason DaSilva, this is primarily about living with multiple sclerosis, but it resonates deeply for brain injury recovery. DaSilva’s poetic use of film to document his physical and emotional resilience offers parallels for TBI survivors forging a new sense of self.

These films do more than inform—they humanize. Through first-person storytelling, audiences can understand just how disruptive and transformative a brain injury can be. Medical experts, caregivers, and survivors share their perspectives, making clear that recovery is not linear, and that progress may come in small but meaningful increments.

Why These Documentaries Matter

From highlighting gaps in public awareness to showing the power of support networks and rehabilitation, documentaries about TBI recovery also play a vital role in advocacy. They remind us that survivors don’t just need medical treatments—they need social, emotional, and community-based care.

In Conclusion

Watching a documentary about TBI recovery can be a deeply moving experience—and a powerful educational tool. These films offer both hope and realism, showing that while the road may be difficult, recovery is possible, and that identity and purpose can be rebuilt in new and meaningful ways.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice.

Mark was always the life of the party — outgoing, energetic and passionate about his career as a professional photographer. But everything changed one rainy evening. While driving home from a shoot, Mark lost control of his car on a slick road and collided with a guardrail. The accident left him with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and doctors weren’t sure how much of him would ever come back.

In the days that followed, Mark faced immense challenges. His memory was foggy, his body uncooperative and his once-vibrant mind seemed distant. Even simple tasks like walking or holding a camera felt impossible. For a man who had always been in control of his life, the loss of independence was heartbreaking.

But Mark’s determination and fierce will to recover kept him going. With the support of his family, friends and a dedicated team of doctors and therapists, he began his long journey of rehabilitation. Slowly, he regained basic skills — first learning to walk again, then relearning how to speak, think clearly and regain his coordination. Every small victory brought a sense of hope, and Mark pushed through each setback with a relentless spirit.

Two years after the accident, Mark returned to photography — not just as a career, but as a renewed passion. He started his own photography business, capturing life’s precious moments for others. His work, once fueled by ambition, now carried a deeper meaning, as he had learned to appreciate the beauty in every shot, every breath and every day.

Today, Mark is living proof that with resilience, love and hard work, even the toughest challenges can be overcome. His recovery story is one of hope, showing that it’s possible to rise from the ashes and create a new, beautiful life.  

Sarah never imagined that one split second could change her life forever. It was a crisp fall day when, while riding her bike down a hill, she lost control and collided with a tree. The impact left her unconscious, and when she awoke, she was in the hospital, unable to remember what had happened. Sarah had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and doctors weren’t sure how much of her previous life she would regain.

The road to recovery was long and filled with challenges. The simplest tasks—like remembering her own name or tying her shoes—felt impossible. She struggled with speech, coordination and daily activities. Frustration and doubt crept in as she faced one obstacle after another. But Sarah refused to give up. Every day, she pushed herself a little further, taking part in physical and cognitive therapies with determination.

Her family and friends were by her side, offering constant encouragement, and over time, small victories began to accumulate. Sarah started to walk again, then speak clearly, and slowly but surely, she regained control over her body and mind. It wasn’t easy, but she embraced every challenge as an opportunity to grow stronger.

Years after her accident, Sarah became a passionate advocate for TBI awareness, sharing her story to inspire others facing similar battles. She returned to school, earned her degree and started a successful career. More importantly, she found a new appreciation for life, cherishing the simple moments that once seemed ordinary.

Today, Sarah is not only living but thriving. Her journey proves that even after a life-altering event, resilience, support and hope can lead to a future far brighter than one could have imagined.  

As a professional mixed martial arts fighter, David had experienced several concussions throughout his career. “I’ve had some tough fights and have gotten knocked out a few times,” says David. These ‘tough fights’ left their mark and David began experiencing the symptoms associated with severe post-concussion syndrome, including severe depression, anxiety, vertigo, sensitivity to light and noise, and memory loss.

David’s symptoms became so intense that he wasn’t able to go about his normal activities. “I felt super dizzy after trying to exercise and would have to lie down,” says David. “I could never seem to find the keys to my car, or even remember where I parked my car!” Finally, David was forced to put his career as a fighter on hold while he sought treatment.

In years past, a person having a similar experience to David’s would be limited to obtaining treatment for each symptom they were experiencing. Today, remarkable advancements in neuro-optometric and neuroplasticity therapies are offering new hope to those who have suffered for years without a predefined treatment path. David embarked on a recovery journey and has benefited greatly from these advancements combined with traditional therapies. It was hard work but he stayed the course. “I feel like my brain has been turned on again,” says David. “I’m so pleased with my progress.” Though David did not return to fighting, he has created his new normal: a happy and productive life that includes a new career in jiu-jitsu and plenty of quality time with family and friends.

One of the world’s top freestyle skiers, Jamie was the first woman in the world to land a double backflip at an X-Games event and had also won the FIS Junior World Championships. And she wasn’t stopping there. Jamie continued to compete and further her career as a freestyle skier. While competing in British Columbia in 2015, Jamie had a horrific accident. After a technical miscalculation caused her skis to become lodged in the snow, Jamie’s head impacted the ground with an immense force due to her fast speed. She was airlifted to the hospital and placed in a medically induced coma for eight days. Jamie had sustained a massive traumatic brain injury. She had lost all mobility in the entire right side of her body. With the help of her family members, she began the arduous process of relearning how to perform simple tasks such as drinking water, picking up small objects, and climbing the stairs.

Though her initial recovery phase was considered to be a success, the challenges Jamie still faced with her cognitive function being severely compromised caused her to experience depression. Like a true athlete, she pushed through to the next phase of recovery. “As an athlete, I appreciated the challenge and the goal-oriented nature of my treatment,” said Jamie.

“These elements were missing from my life since I was no longer competing, so they were a welcomed motivation.” Jamie balanced hard work with rest and recuperation, which are both necessary to get the most out of TBI treatment. This approach was paying off and Jamie could feel the improvement, though she was still anxious about the measurable results. After receiving the results of her fNCI scan (a type of functional MRI that measures blood flow in the brain as the patient executes a battery of cognitive tasks), it was clear there was no need for Jamie to be anxious. “I wept with relief and joy when I found out just how dramatic the improvements in my brain function were,” said Jamie.

Recovery from a TBI can be slow and it requires a commitment to treatment. Jamie exemplifies this approach and has reaped the rewards. “I’ve noticed an improvement in my day-to-day life, including having an easier time making and following through with plans, finding the right words to communicate what I’m thinking or feeling, and keeping up with conversations.” Jamie’s message for other severe TBI survivors: “Don’t just settle — heal!”.

Born in East Los Angeles into a family of boxers, Oscar De La Hoya made his professional debut on November 23, 1992, by scoring a first-round TKO victory. This was just the beginning of a career that would span 17 titles in six weight classes with championships as a junior lightweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, super welterweight, and middleweight. And he’s not stopping there. The 48-year-old De La Hoya planned to return to the ring on September 11th in Las Vegas to face former UFC champion, Vitor Belfort, before he contracted COVID-19 and landed in the hospital. “I was in the hospital for three days fighting COVID-19. It hit me really hard. I was in the best shape of my life [before getting sick] and I can’t wait to get back in the ring,” said De La Hoya. With another match on his mind, it seems De La Hoya will be making two comebacks, one from COVID-19 and another from his 12-year retirement.
De La Hoya hasn’t taken his time off lying down. In fact, in his spare time from serving as Chairman and CEO of his own promotions company, Golden Boy Promotions, he has worked to bring awareness to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), specifically how fighters can protect themselves from this deadly degenerative brain disease brought on by repeated blows to the head — something that all professional fighters will inevitably encounter.

“Fighters put everything on the line every time they step in the ring and, far too often, it results in serious damage,” said De La Hoya. “While head trauma can happen in an instant, far more often the damage comes from repeated punches during a lifetime of fighting and sparring.”

Even with his legendary boxing record, De La Hoya has taken many blows to the head and he knows this puts him at risk for long-term brain injury. Out of this desire to help himself and his fellow athletes maintain their brain health and to do his part in helping to create a safety-driven culture in the sport of boxing came a partnership with Skulltec, a protective athletic gear company. Skulltec’s line of products uses patented technology proven to disperse energy and reduce impact. Specifically, De La Hoya has endorsed the Skullcap — designed to be worn under any headgear. The cap adds a critical second layer of protection, using a gel-based technology that disperses energy upon impact, making trauma less likely.

Known in the boxing world as ‘Punch Drunk Syndrome’, CTE is pervasive in fighting culture. A silent killer, the damage CTE causes is delayed and symptoms can lie dormant for many years. A study published in Neurology compared 204 active and retired boxers with a control group. The results demonstrate that three different brain regions shrink in active boxers compared with controls. The degree of shrinkage and the different regions that shrank suggest that several disease processes related to repetitive head injury may be attacking the gray matter of the brain simultaneously.

The study also measured blood levels of two proteins that indicate brain injury or neurological malfunction. Both were elevated in boxers compared with controls. Furthermore, shrinkage was more pronounced among retired fighters, suggesting that the more trauma fighters sustain over time, the more long-term consequences there are for brain health.

With evidence like this, there’s no doubt that CTE should be a serious consideration for any fighter. It certainly is for De La Hoya: “If I can do anything to help boxers avoid CTE and other brain injuries, I will.”

The veteran reality stuntman, co-creator of the Jackass media franchise, and self-proclaimed ‘blunt force trauma guy’ may finally be rea y to stay behind the camera after suffering serious brain damage during the filming of Jackass Forever

One can’t help but make the Icarus comparison as the vision of Johnny Knoxville (aka Philip John Clapp) being shot out of a giant cannon wearing wings flashes ac oss the big screen in Jackass Forever, the ninth movie installment in this physical comedy franchise which kicked off in 2002 with Jackass: The Movie, preceded by the MTV series simply titled Jackass. As I watch Knoxville fly th ough the air in superb form, I wonder if even he thinks this may be taking things just a little too far. “When I shot out and I spread my wings like planned, I was so happy, then gravity kicked in. I started going down and turned into a big chicken in flight,” says Knoxville. “But as illie Nelson once said, ‘There’s nothing I can do about it now.’” When asked what he does for a living, Knoxville replies “I work with gravity and Newton’s third law of motion”. Well, technically, but that isn’t quite the whole picture. An American stunt performer, actor, and filmmake , Knoxville started his career in commercials and as an extra in a variety of films.

Outside of the infamous Jackass franchise, Knoxville’ filmography includes Men in Black II, A Dirty Shame, Walking Tall, The Dukes of Hazzard, and The Ringer among others. He also voiced Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Additionally, Knoxville owns his own production company— Dickhouse Productions—and if that weren’t enough, he’s had a notable involvement with World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) including appearances in their Royal Rumble and SmackDown productions, facing off against Canadian professional wrestler Sami Zayn. Of all of Knoxville’s career highlights, it may seem like his involvement with the WWE could have Inspired his claimto-fame, Jackass, with their common thread of controlled, over-the-top stunt performances. However, Jackass came to be long before Knoxville stepped into the WWE ring. Some speculate that his pre-entertainment industry vocation of being a test dummy for various self-defense weapons could have been the creative spark that ignited the Jackass concept, but that wouldn’t be correct either. In fact, it was Knoxville’s failure to secure his ‘big break’ in Hollywood that prompted him to follow his natural talent for “making a spectacle of himself” [his words].

After years of chasing mainstream success in the entertainment industry, Knoxville, with help from directors Jeff remaine and Spike Jonze, pitched a television series to MTV with the simple concept of a cast of nine carrying out stunts and pranks on each other or the public, and voila, Jackass was born. The show debuted on October 1st of 2000 and the rest is history. Beginning with the television series and culminating with the most recent Jackass addition, Jackass Forever—released in February of 2022, over the years, the stunts and pranks have escalated from the benign—at least by Jackass standards—to the downright dangerous, and even PTSD inducing. “By the end of filming, they’ e [the crew] suffering f om PTSD. You can just tap them on the shoulder, and they’ll go down. They’re in terror.” says Knoxville. Take, for example, the classic escapade from the first Jackas movie, ‘Golf Course Airhorn’. This harmless—and hilarious— prank involved the Jackass crew sounding airhorns just as golfers wound up their backswings, throwing them off balance an sabotaging their endgame, the innocent antics harkening back to the simple pranks of the MTV series.

Knoxville and his crew stepped things up in later Jackass film with ‘Super Mighty Glue’, in which the crew got their hands on some extremely potent glue, and then used it to affix their bodi together and then pull them apart [ouch!], and ‘Mousetraps’ in which a member of the crew dressed as a mouse crawled through a field of mouse traps in pursuit of a piece of cheese As for Jackass stunts that Knoxville himself has performed, they have run the gamut. To name a few, there was the renta-car crash up derby, in which Knoxville came close to being crushed, the big red rocket which Knoxville rode hundreds of feet into the sky before it malfunctioned and almost blew him to pieces, and the giant evergreen tree Knoxville climbed to the top of before his crew chopped it down at its base, sending him plummeting to the ground.

The injuries that most certainly ensued after the latter mentioned stunts are undeniable, however, as the Jackass cast’s forthcoming feats proved, viewers had not seen anything yet. Enter the bulls. Bovines have held a special place in Jackass history. There was the bull that was encouraged to charge four men—one of which was Knoxville—riding a teeter-totter. And the bull whose vision was put to the test when challenged to see the camouflage Knoxville as he stood against a painted backdrop, himself painted to blend in—the bull passed the test and not only spotted Knoxville but charged at him aggressively. And finall , the less contrived stunt where a blindfolded Knoxville simply entered an enclosure with an agitated bull and just waited to be pummeled, which he was, severely. Fast forward to Jackass Forever.

Suffice it to say , Knoxville has taken things to another level, no bull, and the bodily damage it has caused is proof of that—namely a severe concussion and brain hemorrhage that caused him to lose most of his cognitive abilities for three months. In other terms, he suffe ed a traumatic brain injury (TBI). And what exactly initiated Knoxville’s TBI? You guessed it, a bull. In the most recent rendition of the Jackass staple, Knoxville enters a bullring in full magician garb and performs a magic trick for said bull, who obviously was not in the mood to be entertained. The magic show culminated in Knoxville being charged and rammed by the animal, catapulting him ten feet into the air with one and a half rotations, finally landing him squa ely on his head. “I guess that bull just didn’t like magic.” Knoxville later said. After the calamity, Knoxville lay motionless on the dirt snoring, yes snoring. “My doctor said that was me trying to swallow my tongue,” he says. It’s ironic how even his unconscious bodily response to the trauma played into Jackass’s trademark slapstick humor. All joking aside, this was serious. After about a minute, Knoxville came to, and shortly after, an ambulance shuttled him off to the hospital whe e the damage was accessed.

In the broken bones department, he got off pretty easy—just a broken rib and wrist. But in the days and weeks following the accident, the brain damage caused Knoxville to struggle cognitively and mentally. “My doctor asked me, ‘Are you having trouble concentrating?’ Apparently, I scored 17 out of 100 on a test measuring my cognitive ability. I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t edit.” Knoxville says. He also slipped into a depression—a first for him—and had debilitating headaches “My brain was just playing tricks on me. I got really depressed and over-focused on things.” Depression or no, Knoxville faced his TBI treatment headon, in true Jackass form. His team of neurologists and neuropsychologists tackled his symptoms using a combination of psychiatric medication, behavioral therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), all of which are common treatments for the symptoms of TBI.

Though TBI Times is not aware of the precise medication Knoxville was prescribed, it is well-published in medical journals that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly referred to as SSRIs, are the most effective antidep essants for people with TBI. Specificall , sertraline and citalopram—commonly known as Zoloft® and Celexa®—may have the fewest side effects an may even improve cognition. That being said, according to an article published in the Mental Health Clinician by Sophie Robert, BPharm, PharmD, BCPP, tricyclic antidepressants such as bupropion and lithium, are best avoided or used cautiously in the treatment of depressive symptoms caused by TBI.

Often prescribed as a companion treatment to psychiatric medications, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is another goto for helping TBI patients experiencing emotional regulation and mental health issues—both of which CBT is extremely effective at add essing. According to a study conducted by Jennie Ponsford, Ph.D., and published in the Journal of Head Trauma and Rehabilitation, depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, mood swings, impulsivity, lack of emotion, and difficulty with social interactions e all potential TBI symptoms that can be effectively t eated using CBT. Based on Michael Faraday FRS’s principle of electromagnetic induction, TMS uses low-intensity magnetic pulses to stimulate the nerve cells of the brain which some studies have shown to alleviate the mental health side effects of TBI as well as imp ove cognitive ability.

The treatment is performed in a doctor’s office while the patient is fully awake, and each session approximately 20 minutes in length. Though TMS is becoming a popular treatment for TBI, the jury is still out on its actual benefit for TBI patients. As is true with any medical treatment, results may vary, but in Knoxville’s case, his treatment combo did the proverbial trick. In his own words: “It was a really hard recovery from this last injury, but I’m great now. I feel like I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been.” Like many stuntmen and women, Knoxville has effectivel sacrificed his body for his career. He says that his doctors equate his collective trauma to “being involved in a major car crash”— aside from his TBI, the list of injuries he has incurred filmin the Jackass franchise is jaw-dropping and includes a broken collarbone, broken wrists and ribs, sprained ankles, herniated discs, torn tendons, and orbital blowout fractures. So, it isn’t surprising that after decades of extreme physical comedy and an injury list as long as his career—which spans 27 years—Knoxville is finally eady to admit defeat, or at least take a step back just shy of it. “I knew heading into this [the filming of Jackass Fo ever], that it was my last hurrah with big stunts,” says Knoxville. “You can only take so many chances before one forever catches up with you. I realized that and, amazingly, I’m still walking around. I think I’ve pushed my luck far enough.” With the next Jackass movie already in the works—Jackass 4.5— only time will tell if Knoxville stays true to his pledge to stay behind the camera

War ravages lives across borders and cultures and within military ranks. The physical casualties [of war] are front and center, but the less talked about and equally debilitating occurrences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the silent wounds effecting millions globally — wounds which often goes untreated. In a conflict setting, TBI is commonly caused by blasts and leaves service members and civilians alike to grapple with life-altering cognitive difficulties, sometimes without adequate medical care to support recovery. Though the problem is more prevalent than the help, there are many agencies and organizations dedicated to assisting these victims of war.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and others, are dedicated to shedding light on the problem and providing solutions. SERVICE MEMBERS AND TBI According to the Joint Theater Trauma Registry, compiled by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, 22 percent of soldiers wounded in the U.S. war in Afghanistan had injuries to the head, face or neck. This percentage can serve as a rough estimate of the fraction who have TBI, according to Deborah L. Warden, a neurologist and psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who is the national director of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC). Warden said the true proportion is probably higher, since some cases of closed brain injury are not diagnosed promptly.

In the Vietnam War, by contrast, 12 to 14 percent of all combat casualties had a brain injury, and an additional 2 to 4 percent had a brain injury plus a lethal wound to the chest or abdomen, according to Ronald Bellamy, former editor of the Textbooks of Military Medicine, published by the Office of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army. Bellamy said that because mortality from brain injuries among U.S. combatants in Vietnam was 75 percent or greater, soldiers with brain injuries made up only a small fraction of the casualties treated in hospitals. Kevlar body armor and helmets are one reason for the high proportion of TBIs among soldiers wounded in more current conflicts. They work by shielding the wearer from bullets and shrapnel and have improved overall survival rates.

Kevlarhelmets have reduced the frequency of penetrating head injuries. However, the helmets cannot completely protect the face, head and neck — nor do they prevent the kind of closed brain injuries often produced by blasts. Most brain injuries in war zones are caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and closed brain injuries outnumber penetrating ones among patients seen at Walter Reed, where thousands of patients with TBI are treated. All admitted patients who have been exposed to a blast are routinely evaluated for brain injury — 59 percent of them have been given a diagnosis of TBI, according to Warden.

Of these injuries, 56 percent are considered moderate or severe, and 44 percent are mild. A blast creates a sudden increase in air pressure by heating and accelerating air molecules and, immediately thereafter, a sudden decrease in pressure that produces intense wind. These rapid pressure shifts can injure the brain directly, producing concussion or contusion. Air emboli — a blockage of blood supply caused by air bubbles — can also travel to the brain, causing the death of brain tissue. When service members have serious brain injuries, they receive immediate care on the battlefield and are then transported to military combat support hospitals, where they undergo brain imaging and are treated by neurosurgeons.

Treatment may include the removal of foreign bodies, control of bleeding or craniectomy — which relieves pressure from swelling. Soldiers with TBI often have symptoms affecting several areas of brain function. Headaches, sleep disturbances and sensitivity to light and noise are common. Cognitive changes, diagnosed on mental-status examination or through neuropsychological testing, may include disturbances in attention, memory or language, as well as delayed reaction time during problem solving. Often, the most troubling symptoms are behavioral ones — mood changes, depression, anxiety, impulsiveness, emotional outbursts or inappropriate laughter.

Some symptoms of TBI overlap with those of post-traumatic stress disorder, and many effected in the military sector have both conditions. The good news is service men and women are young and healthy, and as such are in a good position to recover. CIVILIANS INJURED IN CONFLICTS The U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Pakistan, military operations in Somalia as well as the more recent conflict in Ukraine have taken a tremendous human toll on those countries. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been injured as a result of these conflicts and many of these injuries have resulted in TBI. For example, according to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, blast-induced TBI has been referred to as the signature injury of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. People living in these war zones have been attacked in their homes, in markets and on roadways. They have been subjected to bombs, bullets, fire and IEDs.

Civilians are victimized at checkpoints, as they are run off the road by military vehicles, when they step on mines or cluster bombs, as they collect wood or tend to their fields and when they are kidnapped and executed for purposes of revenge or intimidation. A new book, published by world-renowned UCSF neuroradiologist Dr. Alisa Gean, tackles the complexity of TBI, how it is sustained and how it affects both civilians and combatants alike. The text includes information and research gathered from nearly three decades of studying civilian TBI, as well as five intensive years of studying TBI sustained from combat, terrorism and natural disasters. “Aproximately 85% of injured World War II soldiers suffered from gunshot wounds.

Today’s enemy is using a new weapon to kill, defeat and demoralize — the improvised explosive device.” says Dr. Gean. The U.S. war in Afghanistan lasted for 22 years and resulted in an enormous footprint of civilian casualties. In their Afghanistan Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Annual Report, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) documented some 8,820 civilian casualties (3,035 deaths and 5,785 injuries) in 2020. These civilians paid a terrible price for the failure of peace negotiations and the country remains amongst the “deadliest places in the world to be a civilian”, according to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “I am particularly appalled by the high numbers of human rights defenders, journalists and media workers killed since peace negotiations began”, she says.

According to the report, the overall drop in civilian casualties in 2020 was due to fewer casualties from suicide attacks by anti-government elements in populated areas, as well as a drop in casualties attributed to international military forces. There was, however, a “worrying rise” in targeted killings by such elements — up about 45 per cent since 2019. The use of IEDs by the Taliban, air strikes by the Afghan Air

Force and ground engagements also resulted in increased casualties, according to the report. Anti-government elements bore responsibility for about 62 percent of civilian casualties, while pro-government forces were responsible for about 25 pe cent of the casualties. About 13 percent of casualties were attributed to crossfire and other incidents. The report went on to note that the years-long conflict in Afghanistan “continues to wreak a shocking and detrimental toll” on women and children, who accounted for 43 percent of all civilian casualties — 30 percent children and 13 percent women. “This report shows the acute and lasting needs of victims of the armed conflict and demonstrates how much remains to be done to meet those needs in a meaningful way”, High Commissioner Bachelet said. “The violence that has brought so much pain and suffering to the Afghan population for decades must stop and steps towards reaching a lasting peace must continue.”

June 3rd marked the 100th day of the war in Ukraine — a war that has shattered the lives of millions of children. Only days before, on June 1st, the International Day for Protection of Children [in Ukraine and across the region] was marked. “June 1 is the International Day for Protection of Children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Instead of celebrating the occasion, we are solemnly approaching the 100th day of the war. Without an urgent ceasefire and negotiated peace, children will continue to suffer — and fallout from the war will continue to impact vulnerable children around the world.” The scale and speed of the emergency in Ukraine have not been seen since World War II, the United Nations said in a statement, which estimated that 5.2 million children in the region need humanitarian assistance; three million inside the country and more than 2.2 million in refugee-hosting countries. As intense artillery exchanges continue between Russian and Ukrainian forces in eastern Donetsk region and amid reports that Russian troops are continuing their campaign, UNICEF said that almost two in three children in Ukraine have been displaced by fighting. “Civilian infrastructure on which children depend continues to be damaged or destroyed,” the agency explained. “This so far includes at least 256 health facilities and one in six UNICEF-supported ‘Safe Schools’ in the country’s east. Hundreds of other schools across the country have also been damaged.

Conditions for children in eastern and southern Ukraine where fighting had been quite intense are increasingly desperate.” In addition to the trauma of fleeing their homes, UNICEF states that children fleeing violence faced a significant risk of family separation, abuse, sexual exploitation and trafficking. The UN agency also reiterated its call for “full humanitarian access” so that teams can “safely and quickly reach children in need wherever they may be”. Inside Ukraine, UNICEF and partners have already distributed life-saving health and medical supplies for nearly 2.1 million people in war-affected areas. Equally important, critical safe water access has also been secured for more than 2.1 million people living in areas where networks have been damaged or destroyed.

The long-lasting mental health toll of the war on children has also contributed to an acute child protection crisis, made worse by the fact that many displaced families are out of work and unable to meet their children’s basic needs. “These children urgently need safety, stability, child protection services and psychosocial support — especially those who are unaccompanied or have been separated from their families. More than anything, they need peace,” UNICEF insisted. Over 610,000 children and caregivers have also received mental health and psychosocial support, while nearly 290,000 children have been given learning supplies. In addition, almost 300,000 vulnerable families have registered for a humanitarian cash assistance program run by UNICEF and the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy. In countries hosting Ukrainian refugees, the UN agency continues to look out for the most vulnerable of children by providing anti-trafficking training for border guards and encouraging local authorities to integrate refugee children into schools.

Providing vaccines and medical supplies for displaced Ukrainians is a key component of UNICEF’s response, and so too is establishing play and learning hubs to provide young children with a much-needed sense of normalcy and respite. In total, 25 UNICEF-UNHCR “Blue Dots” — one-stop safe havens that provide support and services for families on the move, have been established along major transit routes in Moldova, Romania, Poland, Italy, Bulgaria and Slovakia, the agency said.

In Moldova, more than 52,000 refugees, mostly in female-headed households, have been reached through a UNICEF-UNHCR multi-purpose cash assistance program. Highlighting the devastating and lasting consequences of the war on millions of the country’s youngest citizens, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF maintains that most of the victims were from “attacks using explosive weapons in populated areas”, a claim 1.6 BILLION CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN A CONFLICT AFFECTED COUNTRY supported by the UN human rights office, OHCHR. With the use of explosive weapons, it is inevitable that many of these children will be effected by TBI. According to the Save the Children Blast Injury Report, the use of explosive weapons, traditionally meant for the open battlefield, in densely populated towns and cities continues to cause devastation to children.

Time after time, these weapons result in death, life-changing injuries and the destruction of vital facilities, such as schools and hospitals. From Syria, to Yemen, to Afghanistan, the families of the injured are left to manage TBI among other devastating injuries with health systems often at the point of collapse. And children are particularly vulnerable to blasts with their bodies being lighter, and thus easily thrown farther than an adult’s body. There are good reasons why the killing and maiming of children in conflict is defined as a grave violation by the United Nations.

If children survive explosive weapons, they often find themselves dealing not only with physical trauma and disability, but with the loss of family members, the destruction of their homes and the disruption of their education — and with it their future prospects. To say nothing of the acute stress already caused by growing up in a war zone. Though children can be quite resilient, they cannot be expected to recover without sustained and specialist support. Left untreated, the long-term effects of blast injuries will leave children facing a lifetime of suffering, and will ultimately create an entire generation at risk of exclusion. The Pediatric Blast Injury Partnership (PBIP), led by Imperial College London with Save the Children, is a practical response to the unique medical challenges faced by children with blast injuries. One of the PBIP’s most valuable resources to date is the Pediatric Blast Injury Field Manual, which gives medical staff in conflict settings, who often have to operate with little or no previous experience or training, the knowledge and technical guidance needed to treat children from the point of injury onwards. It also offers advice on how to provide long-term rehabilitation care and mental health support.

Smart initiatives like these will make a real difference to injured children, and medical institutions and humanitarian agencies like Save the Children will undoubtedly continue to build on this work to ensure children have the best chance of recovery. But in order to truly protect children in conflict, governments need to take an active role to advocate for children. This is why PBIP is calling on all warring parties to Stop the War on Children by taking steps to uphold international laws and norms, ensuring accountability for crimes against children and investing in the support necessary to help children recover from the physical and psychological trauma caused by conflict. PBIP found that 80% of pediatric blast patients experienced penetrating injuries to the head. By comparison, just 31% of adult blast patients experienced the same injury. Within this, younger children are more affected. Children under seven are almost twice as likely to present with head injuries as older children. In one study, 90% of children who died from blast injuries had skull fractures.

When children survive a blast, they are almost always left with life-limiting brain injury. Take 12-year-old Mahmoud who lives in Gaza. In 2014 when he was playing in the street, he was hit by an explosive weapon. “I heard an explosion and I felt something go into my eye. I touched my eye and felt blood pouring out. I ran for help and was taken to the hospital. I woke up missing one of my eyes.” Mahmoud’s family says byond his physical injuries, he was not himself after the accident. Mahmoud ikely suffered an undiagnosed TBI. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, CEO of Save the Children International and former Prime Minister of Denmark is uncompromising in her assessment: “International law makes clear that everyone has a responsibility to make sure children are protected in war. Yet explosive weapons continue to kill, maim and terrorize thousands of children every year. Every warring party — from armed groups to governments — must do more to protect children and abide by this important moral principle.”

Just after 5 PM on a Friday afternoon, with two goals in mind, to support a friend’s Nashville eatery during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to pick up dinner for friends, Marcus Trammell got behind the wheel. He pulled into a nondescript strip mall off of a nondescript road and instantly, his life changed forever. “As I was pulling in, a drunk driver hit my car on the passenger side. She was going 75 mph.” said Trammell. “The police said later they thought I’d die at the scene, but I woke up in the hospital.”

Upon waking, Trammell didn’t remember who he was, but he did remember having a family. “I knew I had a son, but I couldn’t remember his name. I could just remember walking with him on a bright, sunny day. That’s all I had.” said Trammell. That was enough. From that moment forward, a relentless determination to fight back to health for his family sustained him. “The early days were extremely tough. I still didn’t know exactly what had happened, but I did have a very specific recollection of having a family, my wife and newborn son. That’s what drove me.” said Trammell. I decided then that I would do whatever I had to do to get out of that bed and help raise my child.”

Marcus Trammell’s vehicle after his accident.

Trammell’s physical injuries were extensive. He suffered from a fractured skull, broken collarbone, broken ribs, fractured lumbar spine, and a brain hemorrhage. The severity of his injuries required him to be placed in an induced coma for several weeks at Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital (VUAH), where he received his initial care. The first stages of recovery involved Trammell relearning many basic functions such as swallowing and walking. Following his time at VUAH, Trammell required a month of inpatient rehabilitation and nearly a year later is still navigating the challenging landscape of recovery from a traumatic brain injury, though his progress has been amazing.

Trammell is certainly not alone. An estimated 4.8 million drivers were seriously injured in crashes just last year. One thing that sets him apart, however, is his commitment to help others who have experienced similar tragedies resulting in traumatic brain injury by sharing his story. His website, theheadfix.com, shares his experience in great detail and gives readers a window into the diverse range of treatments he has received. In addition to practical information, Trammell also uses the site to share inspiring and uplifting anecdotes of others who have travelled a similar path. He’s also produced a 10-minute documentary film outlining his recovery journey which can be viewed on the site.

It was, in part, a decision to move to his home state of Michigan during his recovery that awakened his desire to inspire others. “I grew up in Michigan, and my family and I decided that the woods and water there would be restorative. I swam every day in Lake Superior, walked in the woods, and spent time in nature reading books and listening to head trauma podcasts.” said Trammell. “It was during that time when I decided that no matter what, I would make something of this suffering, to get it out to others that there is hope, that there is joy.”

And just over a year after his accident, Marcus Trammell exudes hope and joy. He has returned to his post as associate director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, is driving again, and perhaps most importantly, raising his son Eero alongside his wife Heidi. Of course, challenges still exist and recovery is ongoing, but Marcus Trammell is “choosing the path of post-traumatic growth.”