More Than A Speed Bump: Brain Injury, Rehabilitation and Recovery

Discover Jim Scott's Book On Discovering Brain Injury

After a devastating brain injury, Jim Scott battled through rehabilitation, substance use disorder, and thoughts of suicide but chose to reinvent himself as an author and speaker rather than giving up on life.

Jim Scott III grew up in Atkinson, New Hampshire. After completing a degree in economics from the University of Tampa in 2006, he had plans to take on Wall Street. Two months later, back home in New Hampshire, Jim left a party after spending the night drinking with friends and was in a devastating car accident on the way home. The day after the accident, Jim opened his eyes, but he remained unresponsive. He spent six weeks in an unresponsive state, three months in inpatient rehabilitation, and two years in outpatient rehabilitation.

Fifteen years down the road, Jim's life is remarkably different, and he is the first to admit how fortunate he has been with his recovery and the support of his family. He has written a book, More Than a Speed Bump, speaks regularly about brain injury, and has a job he loves. “You really can't give up,” Jim says. “Everything changes and you think you're going to feel this way forever, but you won't. I wouldn't call it better or worse; it's just different and that takes some time to get used to.” He is also quick to point out that “sometimes it feels like you're giving up, but you are not the same person anymore, and accepting that versus giving up are two totally different things.”

More than a Speed Bump, which recounts his accident and recovery, was published in 2012, and his writing has also been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries. Jim was not much of a writer before his accident, but as he struggled through his recoveries from brain injury and addiction, he started writing. He never intended to write a book, but when he shared some of his journals with his family, they urged him to share his story with the world.

Jim's writing also gave him a tangible way to help others, which was enormously therapeutic in its own way. “I think the biggest thing with sharing my story and writing the book was that even when I didn't have my license and couldn't drive or go places, my story was always something I could provide and share with others. It is something that is uniquely mine and, in a weird way, it's an asset.”

While writing his book, Jim was living at home and battled depression and suicidal thoughts. Though his executive functioning was impaired by the accident, Jim's ability to write remained intact, something for which he'll be forever grateful. Writing More Than a Speed Bump was extremely therapeutic and helped him get through some of his worst days.

One of the biggest challenges Jim encountered while writing the book was that he had no memory of the accident or his first six weeks post-injury. His mom had kept excellent notes during his time in the hospital, so he was able to review those and ask her questions.  It was difficult for Jim to face the impact he'd had on his family during that very stressful time and he still carries some guilt and shame. He is hopeful, however, that people will find hope and inspiration in his story, and that of his family. They have been through “so many tragedies and setbacks,” Jim says, “but we've bounced back and are doing something good with the chance we have.”

Jim now lives in Portsmouth and works for the family business, RAWZ© Natural Pet Food, which sells high-quality nutritional food for dogs and cats. RAWZ© does so much more than that, though. Jim's parents, Jim and Janet, made taking care of their sons and helping them recover from their injuries their top priority (Jim's brother Andy suffered a spinal cord injury prior to Jim's own traumatic brain injury), and during that time they discovered the immense positive impact that pets can have on recovery. Jim and Andy both benefited from comfort and support from Boomer, the family's yellow lab, during their recoveries.

When they started RAWZ©, Jim and Janet were determined to give back and provide support for others. As a result, RAWZ© donates 100% of its profits through “The RAWZ© Fund.” This funding goes to organizations that are dedicated to improving the lives of those living with disabilities, with a primary focus on organizations that provide service dogs and help individuals with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.

Jim has come a long way since that fateful day in 2006. “I never thought there would be a day that saw my life not dominated by the problems of being a severe-TBI survivor (like hemiplegia, emotional/cognitive difficulties, and lack of independence),” Jim says. “And while those challenges don't go away after a certain period of time, today I'm learning to live as one human being among many. That means learning to be okay with the person I am while still working towards goals with continued learning and skill development.”

Jim takes life day by day and does the best he can with the abilities he has on any given day, trying hard to not compare his life to what it was like before. “I can't say that I'm happy about everything that has happened in my life thus far,” he shares, “but I'm incredibly grateful to be where I am right now!” He also lives by a quote from David Krempels, founder of the Krempels Center: “You're not who you were. Be who you are!”