Brain Storm: A Journey of Faith Through Brain Injury

The storm of brain injury spares no one in its path.

In their new book, Brain Storm: A Journey of Faith Through Brain Injury, Laura and Bruce Allen, of Marietta, reflect on the path that guided them through the horror of Bruce’s sudden brain injury.

One day, Bruce was a vibrant, middle-aged man who filled his time with snow and water skiing. The next, he lost his speech, eyesight and use of his right side.

The four years since have been filled with physical healing and spiritual growth for both Bruce and Laura, his caregiver and wife of 31 years.

“At the time, there was very little for me as the caregiver to read in order to gain information, insight and encouragement,” Laura said. “Brain injuries are devastating, and their effects persist long after the first trauma. We want others to realize that it’s not about what happens to you as much as it is about how you handle the event and adapt in order to have a meaningful life.”

The book, complete with a resource section for caregivers and survivors alike, features the Allens’ story supplemented by nine other brief stories. In it, survivors recount their injuries, the difficulty of rehabilitation and how they have adjusted to life with deficits.

“Together, Bruce and I forged through what seemed like an insurmountable obstacle,” Laura said. “A traumatic event like this doesn’t mean the end of a fruitful life.”

Bruce Allen was a pastor, writer, evangelist and national senior consultant with John Maxwell’s Injoy Stewardship Services before his injury. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Today, he enjoys adaptive water and snow skiing but devotes most of his time to ministering with brain injury survivors.

Laura Fry Allen holds a Master of Religious Education with emphasis on social work from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. She works in the WellStar School of Nursing at .

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