Laura and Bryan Ride Again ...

From Bryan: 

If you’re reading this message there is a good chance we shared an adventure. For many of those adventures across Georgia, I had the good fortune to co-lead with one of the most gifted outdoor leaders I’ve ever met: Laura Buckmaster. It was a remarkable time in both of our lives, filled with the stress, joy, exhaustion and gratitude that comes from leading thousands of people outdoors. 

However, there was a secret we kept hidden from many of our trip guests: Laura struggled was an invisible disability. She’s a brain injury survivor who was actively rehabilitating and recovering from concussive brain injuries. Today, Laura’s brain injury journey hits home with even more clarity as I've answered the call as Executive Director of Side by Side - a brain injury recovery program founded by Shepherd Center that helps people like Laura who need a soft landing place to recover after trauma care and therapeutic care - but while they still need time to heal and find purpose. Side by Side offers best in class “purpose driven” recovery services, unmatched in the metro Atlanta area and recognized nationally as a leader in this specific type of recover - however - we are in deep financial need (it’s why they’ve called in the two of us.) 

Today, we’re teaming up and asking you to take one more trip together: a trip to Side by Side’s Giving Tuesday page! (Look! you made it!) 

 Laura’s honor, please consider making a gift today. 

From Laura: 

“Brain injury is one of the loneliest injuries.”

I first read those words at 17, as I tried to piece my life back together after falling 25 feet off scaffolding and onto my head. Those words struck a chord, even before I fully understood the weight of this invisible injury.

Living on borrowed time can be a gift. It’s pushed me to embrace life’s uncertainties and find purpose in new adventures. But It’s also a grieving process what’s lost while learning to embrace new realities and possibilities. At first, I would often ask “why me?” There were tears, frustration, and, honestly, a bit of a pity party. 

But things shifted the day I walked into Side by Side Clubhouse. 

For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t alone in this journey. I was welcomed into a community of TBI survivors who get it—the challenges, the victories big and small, the strength it takes to rebuild. Their kindness, understanding, and sense of purpose helped me realize that brain injury doesn’t have to be lonely ❤️

This Georgia Gives Day, I’m proud to support Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse and their mission to rebuild lives after brain injury. They helped me embrace something I never expected: pride in being part of this exceptionally resilient community.

Please join me in supporting this incredible organization and making a difference for someone navigating life after a brain injury. Donate toady!