Brain Injury Survivors Day Inspires, Celebrates Progress
| Every survivor of a traumatic brain injury has a different story, but resilience is one thing that they all have in common. The 2025 Arkansas Brain Injury Survivors Day celebrated the resilience of survivors and caregivers alike.
Held at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service State Office in Little Rock and attended by 85 people, the event is the only one of its kind in the state for brain injury survivors. The free educational event is backed by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Brain Injury Program, the Administration for Community Living’s TBI State Partnership Program and the Arkansas Department of Health.
Edward “Red” Rinehart has come far since his 2011 brain injury and is now a volunteer firefighter.Benjamin Waldrum
The April 11 event helps empower survivors by showing them that they’re not alone. There was a familial atmosphere, with attendees catching up and sharing their struggles and successes. Several survivors spoke at the podium about their personal journeys and showcased their talents. Some tables held handmade items made by survivors, such as wood-burned plaques and acoustic guitars.
“Our goal is to provide practical information and resources that can enhance the quality of life for survivors and their support networks,” said Brandi Dawson, a health educator with the Brain Injury Program, part of UAMS’ Institute for Digital Health Innovation. “It is truly an honor to work with this resilient community. Every survivor I’ve met has demonstrated incredible strength and compassion, and I’m deeply grateful to be a part of this impactful event.”
There are approximately 64 million brain injury survivors in the United States alone, Dawson said. Despite this, funding for brain injury research, education and resources is low, averaging out to about $3 per person affected, she said.
Attendees received bright blue T-shirts featuring an image of a brain flanked by blue ribbons, which are the symbol for brain injury awareness. In addition to the name of the event, the T-shirts read: “Not All Injuries Are Visible.”
Although the injuries may be invisible now, they often begin with significant physical trauma.
Edward “Red” Rinehart, 46, of Shannon Hills, spoke about his life following a brain injury. In June 2011, he blacked out while on a ladder and fell 15 feet, landing headfirst. The accident caused multiple skull fractures, internal and external bleeding, multiple shattered ribs on his right side, a punctured lung, a bruised kidney and liver, and nerve damage in his right knee.
Keith Handcock (left) speaks at the THRIVE panel on his experiences recovering from a brain injury.Benjamin Waldrum
Rinehart, formerly with the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division and now a volunteer firefighter, said he uses the camaraderie and discipline from both occupations as inspiration. Today he is also an advocate for brain injury survivors, as vice chair of the Arkansas Brain Injury Council.
“I’ve taken my life back and put it into service,” he said. “If I can help somebody in their worst moment of life — that means everything to me.”
Rinehart said he’s proud of what he’s accomplished since the injury. In a previous job as a metalworker, he helped build the large signs outside the Bass Pro Shop in Little Rock. As a certified firefighter, he both drives the fire engine and handles the water pump.
“Where they said I was too much of a liability for worker’s comp insurance, I’m still working hard every day,” he said. “Lace your boots, kick sand and keep moving forward. You’re doing your own thing. Everybody else can do their own thing; why can’t you?”
Other highlights of the day’s events included updates on legislation, as well as information sessions on mindfulness, medication management and independent living. There was also an overview of the Brain Injury Program’s THRIVE initiative, which is a 12-week brain injury workshop. THRIVE, which stands for The Holistic Rehabilitation Intervention Experience, provides practical tools for daily life. A five-person panel of THRIVE participants talked about their struggles to remain independent and took questions from the audience.
Robin Miller, 38, of Little Rock, a freelance musician and brain injury survivor, stole the show with a solo afternoon concert, playing five original songs using equipment he made himself.
Robin Miller played an emotional five-song set in the afternoon, using multiple guitars and homemade equipment.Benjamin Waldrum
In between sets, Miller talked about his brain injury following a car accident in 2018, as well as his struggles with sensory processing due to autism spectrum disorder. Desperate for something to do during the COVID-19 pandemic, he turned to music. Recently, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of hearing one of his original songs being played on the radio. His music is a way for him to share his personal story and advocate for brain injury survivors and people with autism.
“I turn on the TV, and I see head injury after head injury treated as a minor inconvenience, or even a joke,” he said. “Struggling for survival isn’t funny, or something to be casually dismissed. Outside of groups like this, fewer people resonate. Fewer people take those injuries seriously. It makes it hard to be on the same page as somebody different, and that you should simply get over it and move on.”
Miller said the Brain Injury Program has been a huge help for him following his diagnosis.
“When I first started the THRIVE program, I was given this questionnaire on cognitive failures, and immediately resonated with it,” he said. “I found names and recognition for a lot of the problems I was having, and we started talking about acceptance. I want to give a special thanks to Brandi, Dr. [Chrystal] Fullen and the THRIVE people, and all the wonderful people at the UAMS Brain Injury Program. It’s been such a positive thing in my life.”