How Golf Helped a Young Man Find Courage After TBI
- Marty Turcios
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
“He discovered what he was capable of, even when the odds were against him.”
A while back, I got a message from a mom whose 19-year-old son had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a car accident. She was looking for anything that might help him feel like himself again. When they arrived, he was quiet, but it was clear he understood what was going on and wanted to be active.
At our program, I try to meet people exactly where they are. That day, we simply put a golf club in his hands and invited him to give it a try. Nothing dramatic; just a simple introduction. He responded almost immediately. Over the next two months, he came to sessions every week. Watching him show up and engage was encouraging for all of us, but especially for his mom. She told me she could see glimpses of the confident kid she remembered.
Then life threw something heavy in his path: a second brain surgery. The odds were frightening: without the surgery, he faced about a five percent chance of meaningful recovery, and a ninety-five percent chance of a vegetative state if left untreated. I can’t imagine how hard that conversation must have been for a young man barely out of high school.
Agreeing to the surgery was a decision the family knew they needed to make. Our program didn’t change that reality—it simply helped strengthen him for it. His mom later told me that over the weeks he spent with us, the steady routine, the small victories, and the support he felt here gave him a little more confidence to face what was ahead. He was reconnecting with parts of himself—coordination, confidence, and a sense of purpose—even in the middle of a difficult situation.
Before he left for the hospital, I told him, “I’ll see you in two weeks.” I wanted him to know we expected him back.
On the day of the operation, his mom reached out again. She said he had made it through. A week after surgery, there he was—right back at the program. His doctor cleared him for light activity, but he participated as if nothing unusual had happened. Of course, plenty had happened.
"Wanting to return so quickly showed that he had found a place where he felt like a participant again, not a patient." After the injury, so much of his week was planned for him, and very little felt like a real choice. He was eager to get back to something that required effort. That tells me he had a strong inner drive to keep moving forward—his own way of saying, “I’m not done.” That’s powerful, especially for a 19-year-old who had every reason to be afraid.
When someone with TBI chooses to re-enter an environment willingly, it usually means they feel understood, respected, and most importantly, safe. That eagerness is often one of the clearest signs that real healing is beginning.
What also stands out to me is the hope he carried afterward. After everything he had faced, and still with an uncertain recovery, he decided he wanted to go to college. He began talking about classes, goals, and plans for the future. In a very personal way, he realized what he was capable of—even when the situation in front of him had once looked almost impossible.
As both a recreation therapist and a golf instructor, I know that progress rarely comes from one method alone. For this young man, the combination mattered. The physical activity helped rebuild coordination and focus, while the therapeutic environment helped rebuild confidence. Together, those pieces gave him a reason to keep moving forward.
I think about that young man often, not because he became a great golfer, but because he became more sure of himself. I’m glad to have shared in that experience with him. Courage can grow quietly, week by week, when someone is given the chance to participate.
His journey is one of the many reasons I do this work. Seeing a person regain belief in their own potential is powerful. Sometimes it begins with nothing more than an invitation and letting them try.
Own Your Journey
—Matry
This Article was written for educational purposes. For more information, please reach out to support@therapeuticgolfclinic.com
