Brian Copperthite: Injury Updates

[scorp997]

Brian, I am always reminded of you.. every time I pick up my gear bag (your old one) I am reminded of you and reminded to take safety seriously. I’ve had several friends get seriously injured (and unfortunately worse in one case) and have seen that recovery can take a long time.. your positive attitude is always nice to hear.

Sorry to hear about your other troubles. Keep us updated

[AJWALKER]

I continue to monitor the F1600 apexspeed forum from high in the Rockies.
Brian,
You still inspire us/me with what can be accomplished with shear will power and determination. Use that determination to find something within your capabilities that can keep you fulfilled and out of trees. We need to add a patch to your F1600 jacket for all your injuries that you have survived and overcome and moved on to a restructured new for-filling life. You continue to honor the driving force behind the creation of the one of a kind F1600 jacket.

[Roux]

Brian,

I read what you wrote and found a story, an update, a PSA, some humor and a lot more. I am in awe of your life story mostly based on your writing, although we were in the paddock together all those years ago and also know each other a bit. Do you have a talent for writing ?! Maybe become a pit reporter for Jalopnik or GRM or such? It might get you near but not in the racecars, out of the trees, and enjoying some of what you clearly are passionate about?

Is there a woodsman equivalent of GRM? Grass Roots Lumberjack? Kidding about that. But you do write exciting (but frightening) updates! I think you have a talent in writing these stories. Just saying.

Keep your positive attitude and keep coming back so that we can cringe a bit, laugh a bit and stay grounded a bit. Your first accident could have been any one of us. thanks for sharing,

Steve

[Beartrax]

Brian, thanks for the update. I am sorry that includes some big misfortunes. I also think of you often, usually as I bicycle through Middlefield in the warmer months. (I'm in Rocky Hill) I often wonder if I am going by your house.
I hope that you have a speedy recovery of your wrist and back. Keep us posted.

[Brian331]

I was on Youtube yesterday night when I came across this video.
The Day That Changed Michael Schumacher FOREVER..


That is the latest video about, Schumacher. While they really don't give any update on his condition, this is still a good video for you all to watch. I just copied and pasted the videos title. "The day that changed..." off the Youtube video. If I was a smarter guy (which I'm not!) then I would've just posted a link to the video that you could just click on.

Anyway, they really go into detail about his skiing crash, that he was was awake after his skiing crash (which I never knew) before getting medically induced into a coma. I think when they tried to awake him from the medically induced coma, that he ended up staying in his coma?? I think?

They talk about him only skiing in that area because he saw a little girl having problems, so he went off course to help her. That he ended up hitting his head hard enough to break his helmet (same as me) but I 'think' his TBI was worse than mine? They go into which side of his brain was affected, and some other medical jargon that I couldn't repeat even if I could remember.

Doug, I believe you quickly pointed out after I posted about Schumachers TBI, that he had the money, etc. Again, I 'think' I responded that no amount of money could possibly aid any brain damage done. Doug, I am NOT trying to call you out or make you sound stupid! I have no idea where that Schumacher post was even written or when abouts it was posted, so I can't go back and reread it. My memory is NOT the best, of course it never was before my crash, and the crash didn't help it out either.

After I watched this video about MS's skiing crash, and hearing about his kind of current condition, I honestly feel totally blessed! I am personally getting better every day still, so for anybody who has never met be since my crash, that you would be totally surprised in with my condition. You would never know that I was basically dead and in a 23 day long non-medically induced coma. I have since over the years met people, that when they hear about how seriously I was F-ed up I was they don't fully believe it? Personally, I don't get any value of any sort telling people about my injuries. The way my life has changed, things lost, ect. To be honest, unless the person has some prior knowledge of my situation/crash, that I won't ever even bring it up to talk about.

Former FF#31,
Brian Copperthite

Again, anyway...Just copy that videos name and paste it on Youtube

[TimH]

Ok Brian, we have to assume Michael's injury was somehow worse than yours so to that degree you were lucky. Not to take anything away from him, though, we also have to be impressed by how much your attitude and hard work must surely have contributed to your outcome. Good on ya.

[Brian331]

Guys, TimH,


I wasn't posting a link to that Schumacher video to compare injuries! I don't think there's any such thing as a 'good' brain injury? I was lucky/blessed as F to recover the way that I have! There was clearly a higher power/countless prayers from racers on Apexpeed to pull me through my injuries! Mike, is a great guy who deserves everything that I have achieved, but for some unknown reason it wasn't meant to be for him? I am not a neurologist, nor could I possibly explain everything that I've overcome, or have yet to overcome. Hopefully, Mike will recover to the extent that I have some day at some point, but time is working against him in that respect.


I only wanted to post a link to that video so everybody here could get the latest as I did. That is why I titled that post "this could've been me". After reading your post TimH, it has got me thinking? In hindsight, maybe I just should have posted a link to that video without saying a word about me, then there would be no confusion on brain injury comparisons. I honestly hope/pray that no of you racers ever have to go through the things that I'm still go through or have to deal with, yet everything that I've overcome already.

Brian

[E1pix]

Brian, I think Tim was being only very supportive, and extremely impressed with you and your recovery.

As are so many of us here!

It’s great to hear you’re still making progress! Yes, Michael was very unlucky, at least, from the little we do know about his case.

Keep up the recovery, and the incredible fortitude and endurance it takes to have gotten this far!

All the Best!

[AJWALKER]

After almost 10 yrs, I will fess up to sending you a replacement NARRC jacket for the one you worn out. You inspired me so that I needed to put a NARRC NCF champion jacket buried in my closet among others to better use.
My racing days were over with no true road courses near by to the western slope of Colorado. So my championship jackets don't really mean as much as they once did and just collect dust.
You still inspire me on the will of the human nature to overcome and adapt and make a positive life going forward. I have had some huge set backs lately and your updates always put me in my place. It leaves me with no excuses, shut up, dig in, and fight every day to climb out of what ever hole you are in!
Maybe I should send one to Schumacher with your story.
I still get out on road courses for track days with rented sport racers.
At VIR in a Radical


AJ

[Brian331]

E1pix,

That's why I made my last post. When you read the first line, talking about there would be no way to compare brain injuries, then I sort of took it like I was making a comparison myself? Like I had a brain injury too, but I managed to somewhat fully heal, while you're stuck in limbo world. I am better than Mike, huh? Clearly I would never have a right to ever to ever say something that stupid. Yes, at times I can be quite stupid, but I'd never be that stupid. I wish Mike nothing but the best in his recovery!


So, Mr. Walker......IT WAS YOU! Since getting that coat you sent me, I have since hung up my coat in the closet. I honestly wear that coat whenever the whether permits it! That coat has brought me (still has always will) so much JOY to wear it!! You also made both of my parents day when I showed them that coat. They were both speechless with the coat itself, let alone having no idea who had sent it to me. I have since bought another coat to get it remade like the NARRC coat I won. I will never throw either the coat I won or the one you sent me away. Maybe you could tell me who you sent that coat too get all sown up. Did you send it to the people who give the NARRC coats out, or was it sent to somewhere else? I am clueless in how to get ahold of the people who originally made it?

Sure, feel free to send my story to Mr, Schumacher. I doubt anything will come from it but you never know? I would be more interested with my story going to somebody who makes movies! No, I am not interested in the fame or money tied to it. My intent would to try to make people understand brain injuries. I have since lost basically every friend that I had because they didn't like the person who I've become. I think they all used my amazing recovery against me, like I just overslept for 23 days, that there isn't anything wrong with me! People who I had never got into a single fight or argument EVER, now won't even bother talking to me? Brain injuries are considered an invisible injury. They can't see any stitches, broken bones, bruises or scrapes. They can't see anything, so I'm still the same guy to them. Oh well, it isn't my lose!


former FF#31

Brian

[E1pix]

Brian:

Us who’ve dealt with and deal with brain damage understand your comments, situation, and others’ bailout responses completely.

My wife had “45%” damage almost nineteen years ago, and within a year I told many “It’s like a plane with our 300 favorite people crashed and over half were killed.”

It hurt like hell, but we eventually came to appreciate them showing their true colors as a bit of favor so we could focus on the rest.

I haven’t had a real conversation with my wife since, now 45 years together. She can’t read or write either, but as backpackers and climbers our focus was on walking — and that’s just what happened. She was in no way going to let the Doctors be right in “getting used to a wheelchair.”

Surely there are some good people out there for you, I’m almost pissed at those who left you, like they were our own. And if you’re pissed about them and your situation sometimes, you should be.

If you ever need a comrade moving forward, let’s talk. I get it.

All the Best.

[AJWALKER]

I found a local (Durango CO) promotional supplier that did embroidery for sporting goods for local teams. They pulled out all the stitching that didn't apply (my name and FF class) and over stitched the new stitching.
So not much help to recreating your original jacket but this may be a option.
A supplier of this jacket @ (https://aaeforever.com/index.php?rou...product_id=640)
Also does embroidery, they should be able to come close to reproducing the NARRC design.
They my also be the original supplier to North Atlantic SCCA, who now's.
AJ




Embroider

[sauce_racer]

E1pix,

That's why I made my last post. When you read the first line, talking about there would be no way to compare brain injuries, then I sort of took it like I was making a comparison myself? Like I had a brain injury too, but I managed to somewhat fully heal, while you're stuck in limbo world. I am better than Mike, huh? Clearly I would never have a right to ever to ever say something that stupid. Yes, at times I can be quite stupid, but I'd never be that stupid. I wish Mike nothing but the best in his recovery!


So, Mr. Walker......IT WAS YOU! Since getting that coat you sent me, I have since hung up my coat in the closet. I honestly wear that coat whenever the whether permits it! That coat has brought me (still has always will) so much JOY to wear it!! You also made both of my parents day when I showed them that coat. They were both speechless with the coat itself, let alone having no idea who had sent it to me. I have since bought another coat to get it remade like the NARRC coat I won. I will never throw either the coat I won or the one you sent me away. Maybe you could tell me who you sent that coat too get all sown up. Did you send it to the people who give the NARRC coats out, or was it sent to somewhere else? I am clueless in how to get ahold of the people who originally made it?

Sure, feel free to send my story to Mr, Schumacher. I doubt anything will come from it but you never know? I would be more interested with my story going to somebody who makes movies! No, I am not interested in the fame or money tied to it. My intent would to try to make people understand brain injuries. I have since lost basically every friend that I had because they didn't like the person who I've become. I think they all used my amazing recovery against me, like I just overslept for 23 days, that there isn't anything wrong with me! People who I had never got into a single fight or argument EVER, now won't even bother talking to me? Brain injuries are considered an invisible injury. They can't see any stitches, broken bones, bruises or scrapes. They can't see anything, so I'm still the same guy to them. Oh well, it isn't my lose!


former FF#31

Brian

It's always nice to see you posting on here. A lot of people don't understand that for our brains to recovery from physical trauma it takes an abundance of time, patience, and acceptance. A lot of why the brain does what it does is still unknown, especially when it comes down to recovery. Our brains have to essentially re-wire all the those pathways that were already formed in our previous years, and that creates a lot of fear and judgment from others. Not sure why, but I would venture it's probably because of the unknown that's on the other side of that recovery and whether or not the person is 'the same' as they were before or if they're different physically and emotionally.

You and my Mom are the reason I work with neuro patients, whether it be stroke, TBI, or spinal cord injuries, or even brain tumors. Your story and hers are a testament to what our brains can go through and recover.

Again, always good to see you posting.

Meg Sauce-Grenier
SowDiv FF#10

[Brian331]

Meg, yes you are correct about a lengthy recovery, but.... The old me/Brian, race car driver and friends of many died on, 6/8/12. That part/side of me died, but my rebirth has been amazing! I am pretty sure that anybody who has suffered a TBI, and by TBI I'm talking about anybody who has suffered worse than an concussion, will change in various ways. IMO, I have been totally blessed! Sure, my life isn't nearly as active as It once was, going out with friends and family to do whatever, just going out in general or just having a life, are gone, but I am still very thankful for my new life/situation. How can I say that I feel blessed by not really having 'a life' anymore? Easy,

I hate to bring by Mr. Schumacher, again, but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. That is a man who has achieved the most, highest things in life, successful, mega rich, could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted and was/is considered to be a racing celeb/God basically lives in memory now for him. I would be willing to bet, that if Schumacher could go back in time before his skying crash, that he'd give it everything up so he could live a 'normal' life again. Neither money or fame can/will ever change his current living issues? And I can only assume that he has 'issues' because everybody in the world has be left wondering how he's doing, being he won't come out to let people see his current condition, so it's pretty fair to thing he's doing worse than I.

Easy, I said? If I did come out of my 23 day long non-medically induced coma just as good as I have always stated, only I was paralyzed now on top of it, then you could all rest assured that everything that I listed that I lost would still be/happened the exact same way. I was told by my neurologist that the human brain usually takes about 5 years to 'fully' recover. And by 'fully' recover I'm talking about my brain recovering to the new me/Brian, as the old Brian will forever be left for dead at, LRP!

I went years denying that I had changed at all, even though the 'new' Brian is a great guy who is funny as F , but I just couldn't personally except my changes. One day I just woke up feeling good to know the new, Brian. It all just dawned on me, that I truly am blessed. That I can still walk, talk, drive and live my life without daily care for doctors or nurses. That everything I lost are just things, and given my choices, die from my injuries, survive but need daily nursing care etc, or just except the new greater me, then I guess you all know that I picked option 3,

Yes, I do feel totally blessed, BUT, I would have never gotten to this new part of my live without all of you racers from this great website, Apexspeed! If God wasn't deafened by the countless prays and well wishes form all of you, then factor in the thousands of dollars that you all sent me combined to help me through those though times, then I believe things would have ended differently for me. I only joined this site with the dreams of becoming a race car driver someday. I never expected to have so many people reach out to me to offer help and advise to me. I would encourage any new possible future racer to join this great website! By joining this website, you not only get good advice and helping hands from SO many, that if you ever find yourself in a should've been a fatal position, that you'll receive endless prayers that should allow you to survive!

If I haven't let you all know in the past, then please pardon my lateness for saying/telling you this, but I am enterally grateful to you all. Thank you all (and thanks to Mr. Walker for that awesome coat who I never actually said thank you for so in that last post, so double thanks to you)


Forever racing in heaven when it's 'my time' FF#31
Brian

[10rmotor]

Brian, we lose friends for all sorts of reasons. The ones we lose that won't even bother to find out what caused the reason for that separation, you have to question whether they really were friends in the first place. I'd rather have half a dozen friends that would have your back no matter what, then 100 "friends" that were only there for the good times.

I don't know you, and probably never will. But from the last dozen or so posts I think I get the gist of your story. You picked a heck of a way to weed out the fun times only friends from the shirt off your back friends, and still have your dignity. I think you can figure out the type of friends they are that have contributed to this thread. Friends like this are to be always treasured. Hang in there!

[jcolley]

Brian, I'm a lot late to the topic here, but had a somewhat similar (yet absolutely nowhere near as severe) experience 2 years ago.

Out for a bike ride and as I passed an intersection, an oncoming car made a left hand turn down that road and t-boned me. Lots of leg fractures, those were easy. But, even with the helmet, a skull fracture at the maxillary sinus and TBI to go with it. Didn't need glasses before that, can't shake them now. We didn't realize the extent of the TBI until a couple of weeks after, I went to hand address an envelope and all the letters came out of the pen at odd angles. Took several weeks to learn to write again and make it legible, hand eye coordination took a lot longer.

But, probably not a lot of people will understand your statement. It was the single best thing that has ever happened to me. I refocused. The diet I was prescribed for TBI recovery fixed a lot of other long-time woes. At 51 years old now and I feel better than I have since I was mid 30's. I feel like I every day I have a purpose to go and do something.

Reading through your posts here, you had a hell of a ride and refused to give up. Sounds like a lot of the folks on here saw that before the crash and still know it. Hats off to you sir, proof of not giving up.