Traumatic brain injury survivor helps others through Mind Your Brain Foundation

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Chester County, Pennsylvania woman who survived a traumatic brain injury has dedicated her life to helping others.

Candace Gantt founded the Mind Your Brain Foundation with the help of Penn Medicine after her own traumatic accident forced her into action.

"Ordinary people can do extraordinary things," said Gantt, whose story is anything but ordinary.

"The reality really sets in that it's not ok," added Gantt.

It was 2006 when Gantt was recovering from an Iron Man race and biking in Chester County. That's when a construction truck swerved behind her.

"It clipped my bike and I just happened to be at a telephone pole at that time, so my head first hit a telephone pole," she said.

She was airlifted to Penn and was in a coma for two weeks.

"I had a collapsed lung, crushed all my facial bones," she said.

And when she woke up, she had no memory of the accident. She suffered a traumatic brain injury.

"They put a piece of plastic in place of that and resecured it with two titanium plates and 40 bolts," she said.

What she did know, after 6 long months of rehabilitation, is she wanted her life back. She wanted to run, bike, and swim again.

"I wanted to go back. That was my identity," she said.

She couldn't find help, so she became her own helper and started the Mind Your Brain Foundation, which serves hundreds of traumatic brain injury survivors every year.

"It's a marathon. That's the way we would describe it. It's not a sprint, it's not a 5k. You're in it for the long run.

On March 25, Gantt will be back at Penn for the annual Mind Your Brain conference. The goal is to not only connect survivors with resources but then find something so valuable -- hope.

"When you're discouraged and sad about your recovery, come and see us because this is the opportunity we have to give to you," she said. "Every day I'm working on my working memory, I'm working on aphasia, finding my words."

Gantt's recovery will be lifelong, but her joy is in the journey and helping others one step at a time.