Kim Lake
Hi, my name is Kim Lake. I am here with my son,
Justin Tuft
Justin. I am 45 and I am awesome. Trust me.
Kim Lake
You've had an accident. Can you kind of describe how you were before your accident?
Justin Tuft
I was shy, timid.
Kim Lake
What was one of the things that you did before your accent that you were very excited to do?
Justin Tuft
Go and serve my mission in Calgary, Canada. And it is the first time I'd ever seen snow on my birthday, which is on August. I was like, holy cow, whoa!
Kim Lake
And now, since your injury, you have become more friendly with everybody you meet. Can you tell me about someone who has been a big influence on your life?
Justin Tuft
Myself. I have never given up,
Kim Lake
Because you're positive and you are bound and determined that you're going to get somewhere besides just sitting in your chair, am I right?
Justin Tuft
Just hearing the doctor saying I had a traumatic brain injury caused me to think "I don't want to go through life thinking I have a brain injury. I want something more." So I thought: TBI. I took the "T" and I thought 1'tremendous brain, cool. What do I do with that "I"? Tremendous brain influence!"
Kim Lake
It happened on
Justin Tuft
2006.
Kim Lake
It'll be 19 years in September. He was not supposed to live. He shocked them all. He was in the hospitals for probably three years before he came home. I was single and I was trying to take care of him by myself. At times, it's very challenging, and after this long, I'm still adjusting. I think it's very hard on Justin too. How's it changed your life?
Justin Tuft
I can't drive anymore, like I just wake up and hop in this bad boy, it rolls around. I just want to get out of this state of where I need people to help me so much. "You wanna hand me that? You wanna hand me that? Can you grab that? Can you grab that?" I feel so weak.
Kim Lake
I want to thank everybody that has helped me with Justin. Justin goes to the Art Center every day through Turn, a community learning center, and then I have Ivis and Jenny that come into my home and fix him dinner and give me space and I'm very, very grateful that I have him. I'm trying to learn patience from him. He reminds me every day, "Mom, don't swear."
Justin Tuft
Don't use the "s" word. Don't use the "s" word!
Kim Lake
Okay. I sometimes still ask myself, "Why do I have to go through this, and why does he have to go through this?" I try to remember things happen for a reason.
Justin Tuft
Someone I'll always remember would probably be you, my mom, because you have always been there for me, Mom. I love you, and if I could mow your lawn, I'll do it tomorrow. Don't fall out the path. Stay strong. Always go forward. Never think that therapy is going to make it hard on you. It is hard, trust me, the therapy is where it's at.
Kim Lake
And they do amazing. And then they... I could...
Justin Tuft
And her dad, Rafael
Kim Lake
Okay, Justin --
Justin Tuft
is a ninja turtle's, Dad.
Justin Tuft
Yay!
Kim Lake
Okay, Justin. Thank you.
Justin Tuft
Woohoo! Cowboy up!
Kim Lake
Justin...
Justin Tuft
I hope we went eight seconds and beyond!
