TBI means Traumatic Brain Injury? How about TO BE INSPIRED or TRANSFORMED BY INJURY?

You never know when your life might take a turn for (what you might think is) the worst - It’s your choice how you respond...either take the easy route and give up...or KEEP FIGHTING....

Gratitude (for given a 2nd chance after a severe - level 3 Glasgow coma scale - traumatic brain injury on 10/27/12 put me in a coma) is what kept me moving forward and not give up; when that is all I wanted to do....

After I failed out of college (during my last semester at Purdue University with just 2 classes left to finish my degree in Mechanical Engineering), failed a driving test at 23 years old, and couldn't think of basic words to communicate or even order food on the phone - I thought my old life was over...

Then to become the best driver ;), still graduate college, succeed in both my engineering sales & fitness coaching jobs to become a better version of myself (I don't say "best" because striving for our "best" is a lifelong process)..although it took years to get where I am today as of 2/5/2023 and can't wait to be better version each day / year. I believe we should make decisions for our tomorrow, next week, next year, 2025, 2030, 2040, (and beyond) versions of ourselves. Visualize the kind of person you want to be & make smart decisions to become that.

Smart habits / actions each day are votes for the type of person we want to be; we become our habits and decisions.

There are reasons things happen to you and just think: you have a 400 trillion to 1 odds of JUST BEING BORN AT ALL. That should be enough to stay grateful and remain positive when life throws you a curve ball.

It's not about what happens TO you, it's about what happens FOR you, no matter how traumatic, to teach you who you how strong you are and teach you essential life lessons, to help you grow toward a better version of ourselves.

*Click Blue Rectangle Below to See Recent Update & Where I Am Today*

PERSISTENCE WILL PAY OFF

*Under construction*

My family created this site for me while I was in a coma (hence WakeJake), after I fell down a flight of extremely steep concrete stairs (fluke accident) on October 27th, 2012 sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury, which required my head to be drilled into by the ER doctor to release the pressure inside my skull; this pressure would've likely killed me.

Take a look at "The Accident, Recovery and Jake Today" section at the top to see much more about my accident, my long recovery process and where I am today: 2/5/2023

*UPDATES COMING SOON*

I run the site now, and A LOT of work is yet to be done. It is truly a miracle I recovered 100% and (potentially) more intelligent than before, based on my IQ score in my last full-day neurospych evaluation in summer 2014.

Also, currently writing a book about my story and how persistence / willingness to try, continuously learning and having hope will take you farther than just about anything, even just intelligence.

Feel free to contact me at Jake.Schonhoft@gmail.com to learn how I was able to bounce back so quickly.

Believe me, it was the most difficult thing I've ever had to endure, and I hope no one has to experience the suffering and hopelessness I went through. But I hope my story will stop someone from giving up. Hope is ESSENTIAL.