On 01/05/03 I was playing football on the Lonoke High School Football field. It was just a bunch of us on a Sunday afternoon, after church, playing with no pads or helmets. I took a severe blow to the left side of my head. I said I was dizzy and as I tried to walk over to the side lines I immediately went to my knees and went into a coma. My mom was called and they transported me to Arkansas Children's Hospital. I was 16 at the time. For 21 days my family had no idea if I would live or die. I had a bleed and a stroke like episode during my start of the coma. My mom stayed by my side the entire time and refused to leave me. When I started to wake I went through the steps of the coma. In February 2003 I went to Timber Ridge Ranch Neurological Rehabilitation and lived there for 7 months. I was finally able to go home in August 2003. My mom works with me 24-7 to make sure I do not slow down in my therapies, and she runs five days a week to take me to therapies and she is always looking for new things that might help me.

But I am the survivor. I need to communicate with others like me. I can walk, and have a gait issue, and I can talk but with speech problems. Mentally I am here. Trapped in my body and at times unable to get out. I need to talk to others. Please email me.

Please visit my web page at
www.geocities.com/mattduncan010503
Thanks. Matt

Email Matt