Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
You know what you should be able to do but you can’t...it’s frustrating
Rebekah dreams of walking down aisle after brain injury
FOR every bride, walking down the aisle on their big day is a key moment – but it will be even more poignant for Rebekah Nesbitt.
The East Belfast woman was in the midst of planning her wedding to the love of her life James Anderson when she was left in a coma for three months following a horrific crash in September 2016.
Rebekah suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent almost a year in hospital beginning to learn how to walk, talk, eat and drink all over again.
Now, as the 29-year-old continues her recovery at home with her loving parents, she is dreaming about being able to walk independently down the aisle to marry the man who has been her rock throughout it all.
Rebekah says she has struggled going from being a “get up and go” woman to having to depend on others every day.
But added that she would not be where she is today without the neverending support of James, her parents Linda and Robert, family, friends and
He asked me to London and proposed.. but I can’t remember it at all REBEKAH NESBITT YESTERDAY
the team at Brain Injury Matters.
“The thing that makes a brain injury so much more awkward for people is you know what you should be able to do but you just can’t do it,” said Rebekah.
“My knowledge was not affected so it was really frustrating, it was all physical. Mentally I was totally fine. I would say my body is still functioning at about 40%, my left arm is not working, it is totally inactive, I can’t move it.
“They don’t know if I will get movement back, that’s the thing about brain injury, you can’t predict it.
“Hopefully the pathway in my brain will build back up, some people have not been able to move anything after they first got injured and then years later they can do everything so hopefully that’s the way I will be, it is just a slow process.”
Rebekah was just 24 when she was driving to a horse riding lesson just outside Carryduff one Sunday morning in September 2016 when she was involved in a one-vehicle crash.
She was left in a coma for three months as her loved ones kept a vigil by her bed in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital. She then spoke her first words to her mum on Christmas Eve.
“My mum couldn’t believe it, it made her Christmas,” she said.
Rebekah said walking independently and having more independence is her long term goal.
“One of my goals is to walk on my wedding day,” she said.
“We had booked a date before my accident but could not go ahead with that. We have not talked about a new date and he has said he would like to propose again.” Rebekah’s boyfriend
James, who she has been with since 2011, had proposed in 2015 on a trip to London.
Sadly her brain injury was so traumatic that Rebekah has lost the memory of the precious moment.
“I was going out with my boyfriend and he had asked me to London and proposed and all but that is something I am very sad about, I can’t remember it at all,” she said.
“We are still engaged but he said whenever my recovery has moved on he will propose again but still I am just sad.”
Rebekah said through
Brain Injury Matters she
BRAVE Rebekah Nesbitt from Belfast has rediscovered her love of art and writing.
“I think it is important for me to emphasise how important Brain Injury Matters have been, my mum has said no one really knows what Brain Injury Matters do and they do such an important job,” she said.
“It [brain injury] is like a hidden disability because you cannot see it on the outside and people don’t know much about it but brain injury takes away so much from people. Each brain injury is individual, somebody might not be as bad as me but some people may be worse. “I just want to share my experience to raise awareness.”