Duron’s Journey: raising awareness for traumatic brain injuries

Saturday, the non-profit Duron's Journey held a craft fair at Legion Park in Paris

PARIS, Ky. (WTVQ) – Did you know it’s Brain Injury Awareness Month? One Paris man, who suffers from a severe traumatic brain injury himself, is wanting people who also suffer to know they aren’t alone.

In August of 2018 at just 23 years old, Duron Adams’ life changed forever: he survived a serious car accident, but suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after being without oxygen for 25 minutes. According to his aunt, Cynthia Ragan, it was a miracle he survived.

“We went down to the chapel and we prayed a lot…we just had to pray. That’s all it was. One hundred percent,” said Ragan.

Since then, it’s been a long road for him, his mother, and his aunt. Immediately after the accident, he spent 17 days in the ICU at UK Hospital and underwent 2 months of rehabilitation, re-learning to talk, walk, and eat again.

Duron continues to suffer from short-term memory loss and is paralyzed on his right side, making everyday tasks difficult, like cooking or bathing. But he doesn’t let that stop him.

“I just really want people to know how far traumatic brain injury goes so people don’t look at us all and be like, ‘oh, they’re just messed up in the head’ or like, ‘they’re not all the way there.’ We’re all the way here, things just don’t connect sometimes,” said Adams.

According to Kristin Dillon, Duron’s speech-language pathologist, he’s working on possibly regaining some of his memory loss.

“He’s very motivated, he’s got great goals, he’s an absolute joy to work with,” said Dillon.

Saturday, Duron’s non-profit, called Duron’s Journey, held a craft fair, with about 31 area vendors participating, at Legion Park in Paris to help spread awareness around traumatic brain injuries and help others like him know that they’re not alone.

“So many people suffer from it, and families and caregivers have to suffer alone. And I want to be able to get it out here to help some of these families so nobody has to suffer alone,” said Cheryl Lopez, Duron’s mother.

Duron’s future is bright: he’s starting a podcast to help educate people about traumatic brain injuries. He also says he’s working towards going back to school to study to be a personal trainer or physical therapist’s assistant.

To follow along with Duron, go to the Duron’s Journey Facebook page: facebook.com/Duronsjourney.