Keller (Betroffener und Angehöriger, Sohn)

At the time of the interview, Mr Keller was 60 years old, married and the father of two adult children. His life story has been profoundly shaped by a severe traumatic brain injury he sustained in a car accident at the age of 23. After coming out of a coma, he awoke feeling deeply exhausted, with difficulty concentrating and completely dependent on others. This period was emotionally draining for him – he lost his zest for life and his relationship at the time, and had to relearn basic skills. A turning point in his life was meeting his current wife, through whom he found a new purpose in life. In the decades that followed, he immersed himself in the study of brain function, which was not only part of his personal healing process but also led to a strong commitment to the cause. Today, Mr Keller is involved in an organisation for people with brain injuries. There, he draws on his own experiences and, among other things, organises a Nordic walking group that helps those affected to remain physically active and maintain social contacts. Another life-changing event was his father’s stroke in 2020 – in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Despite the visiting restrictions in place, Mr Keller decided to support his father using all his own experiences. He visited him regularly and actively helped with his mobility – for example, with the transition from a wheelchair to walking. At the time of the interview, his father, now 88 years old, was living in his own flat again, albeit with certain limitations. The interview with Mr Keller took place at his home in 2023.

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VIDEO

Emotional ups and downs

Mr Keller talks about the emotional ups and downs he experienced following his traumatic brain injury. This period was marked by suicide attempts, his rehabilitation, the breakdown of his relationship at the time, and his return to work. Today, he knows that any brain injury can have psychological consequences.

TRANSCRIPT

For me, it went like that – and for the first few years, just like the stock market: up, down, up, down. Then, in the end, I think there were two suicide attempts that failed. That went on – the first ones – I’d say the first ones – for me, it went on for quite a few years. The first few years were what you might call ‘survival years’. And it really did go like the stock market. And back to that moment when you wake up, you’re completely helpless. Then comes the rehabilitation phase and so on and so forth. My luck – what always supported me – was that when I came home, they tried to get me back into the work process, then it worked again – I had to wait another three months. And that went on for about a year and a half. I came home, I had no girlfriend. Or, that had fallen apart too, was lost and so on. Uh, of course I suffered.

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