A medical, legal, and
informational resource
for persons dealing with
traumatic brain injury.

STORIES OF AMAZING RECOVERIES

Submitted by: Liliane Colburne
Contact Via: unferfrog@chartermi.net

I am the Mom of Navy Seal Mark Colburn who in 1997 during a sky dive exercise was struck by another Seal who went through his parachute, tore it and collided with his head feet first. My son fell 3000 feet to the ground in a deadly twirl. He was still alive and was transported to a trauma center in San Diego. He was not supposed to live the night, almost every bone in his body was broken and he had a severe closed head injury. He was in a coma for a month and in a vegetative state for four months. We were told that he had a 5% chance to ever recover. By a miracle he started to respond to commands slowly and started going to the San Diego rehab center. He had to relearn how to eat, walk, talk and swallow. He came to live with me and we started years of rehab. His attitude was incredible, because of his training as a Seal he put himself into an incredible regimen of exercises. We never gave up because he never gave up. Today he runs, rides a bike, goes to a gym every day, he gives speeches on the Seal team and his recovery. He pushes himself to the limit and I would say that his attitude and the amount of exercise he does keeps him going, he has a gait when he walks, but not when he runs, His short term memory has improved 90% but most likely his love of life keeps him going and makes him the admiration of anyone he comes in contact with. He is proof that anything is said about head injuries and your future can be fought with the right attitude and help form a loving family.
Thank you.

Liliane Colburn.