ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC)- Traumatic brain injuries immediately change the lives of the victim and their families. For one man, surviving a terrorist attack has led to an inspiring story of perseverance and determination.
It was November of 2009 when U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Patrick Zeigler's life changed forever, and between then and now he has shown an unquenching drive to return to a life he once knew.
It is a moment he will never forget.
"I was present on the fifth of November at Fort Hood, Texas during the shooting that occurred in the SRP Center there, and I was shot four times."
Sergeant Zeigler was shot in the head in the attack that claimed the life of 13 others. He suffered severe brain damage from the wound, leading to years of rehabilitation and therapy.
"Originally I learned to walk three different times because I had surgical complications that set me back, and so I would have to redo progress that I had already made."
He and his wife Jessica are at the Mayo Clinic sharing their story of will and determination in the face of such a debilitating injury.
"I still need someone to give me a source of inspiration and motivation in order to keep going, and that's been my wife, Jessica."
Considering all they have gone through, a ray of sunshine. The couple are expecting their first child.
"We have a baby on the way in October, so that's his next big therapy task to overcome," shares Jessica. "From here, we keep doing therapy. We've learned to adapt to what comes next and to keep doing one day at a time. I'm so impressed and so proud of him for where he's reached in his recovery and I think we'll jut keep moving forward."
A story that by all accounts should have had the worst of endings is now a source of inspiration for anyone facing a similar battle.
The couple hopes to spread the message that recovery from brain injury is possible, even in the face of the worst of circumstances.
