It’s a chilly, foggy October afternoon, and Ted has finished up a therapy session at ARBI. As he waits for the van to pick him up and deliver him home, he pulls his cell phone from a pocket and snaps a photo of a picture hanging on the wall in ARBI’s living room.  

The picture is a framed black and white motivational quote: Never Give Up.  

“I have to send a picture of this to Sean,” he says. He’s referring to Sean McCann of the acclaimed Canadian band Great Big Sea. According to McCann’s wife, Andrea, “don’t give up” is his personal mantra, which he shared with Ted during their friendship.

As a singer and songwriter, Ted met and has maintained a friendship with McCann that bonded over the love of music and the power of “don’t give up,” something on which Ted has become adept. Growing up in Ireland, he earned his BSc (HONS) in Physiology at University College Dublin in 2008, followed by a PhD in cardiorespiratory physiology and immunology in 2012. Hoping to make the most of his qualifications and earn a living, he discovered a career as a medical science liaison that allowed him to travel around North America, Europe, and Africa.  

In 2021, a friend offered Ted a new opportunity as the Chief Medical Officer of a start-up in Florida. While out for dinner with friends, he fell from a third-floor balcony, landing on his head.  

“My watch stopped on impact,” he says. “I thought strongly about repairing it, but I’ve decided to hold on to it. I’m thinking that once I can return to work and be a contributing member of my family again, I’ll frame it, just to remind myself where I’ve come from, in case I ever get too cocky in the future.” 

But Ted could be forgiven for having a certain amount of what he calls cockiness: some might simply call it resilience or courage or strength.  

After being in a coma for three months, an air ambulance took him back to Calgary to continue his recovery in the same hospital where he had completed his post-doctoral research. “It was like waking up from a long snooze,” he says. “A big part of me was very unhappy.” 

The impacts of acquired brain injuries are often profound and can be life-long. They can include deficits in any or all of cognition, memory, speech, motor skills and behaviour. The lives of those with an acquired brain injury and their families are often challenging as they face employment loss, social isolation, a shortage of suitable housing, financial strain, emotional distress, and a lifetime of dealing with an evolving variety of cognitive, physical, and social impairments.  

Since July 2022, he has been devoting more than 20 hours a week to therapy and exercise—learning to walk again unaided and regain his speech. But Ted speaks of the big impact his younger sister, Emma, had on his motivation. “She had to deal with a lot of things while I was in a coma.” She strategized ways to cheer him up, including a trip to the hot springs in Fairmont, BC. On his return to Calgary, Ted’s very close friend and housemate, Brittany, advocated with their landlord to make certain adjustments to their home. 

While it may seem like a small thing, he also maintains a daily to-do list to help with his memory and to keep himself organized. 

Fast forward to ARBI’s Stampede Breakfast in July of 2023, and Ted wowed the guests with a showcase of his musical talents. A self-taught guitar player, his performance featured his song, “I Amn’t Even Country.”  

Nearly two years after his accident, Ted looks forward to recording more of his original music and a project fundraising for charities through music.  He’s also penning an autobiography of his experience and recovery. In draft form, “It Gets Better” is Ted’s desire to inspire readers that despite life turning upside down, “the right attitude can bring your life back to great things.” 

I’d like to show people the impact of staying positive. It’s okay to feel sorry for yourself, but don’t dwell on it. Your attitude is the only way to make things better. 

As well as participating in rehabilitation and therapies at ARBI, Ted engages in a self-directed exercise program and the Good Grief Walking Group. And there continues to be what Ted calls “little wins”, such as walking up and down the stairs unaided. 

Never give up, indeed!