Silver lining despite devastating TBI

Six months after suffering life threatening injuries, David Musicant counts his blessings. Almost two years ago avid bicyclist and triathlon competitor, Musicant, was involved in a near death truck accident that caused a multitude of ailments including a sever traumatic brain injury. On June 25, 2015, while training for an upcoming Iron Man competition in […]

Six months after suffering life threatening injuries, David Musicant counts his blessings.

Almost two years ago avid bicyclist and triathlon competitor, Musicant, was involved in a near death truck accident that caused a multitude of ailments including a sever traumatic brain injury.

On June 25, 2015, while training for an upcoming Iron Man competition in Hawaii, the 51-year-old Franklin Lakes, N.J. resident, suffered a severe motor vehicle accident.

According to a witness, while Musicant was cycling at 30 mph and checking his racing time a truck struck him sending his body 40 feet in the air, striking a guardrail before landing on the ground.

Musicant did not remember the accident nor how he made it to the hospital.  The last thing he recalled after checking his watch was waking up at the hospital.

He suffered severe injuries including eight broken ribs — three in multiple places — a punctured lung, an exposed hipbone, a shoulder blade broken in three places, and traumatic brain injury.

The only reason for his survival was due to his superior conditioning, according to the medical staff at the hospital.

After several weeks, his physical ailments healed but then the most difficult recovery began.

The TBI was a lot more complicated, Musicant said. The simple joys of taking a drive, working out or going to a Mets game with his wife and two children was all but a longing memory.

“You’re confused, you’re depressed and you just don’t think you’ll ever be yourself again and you kind of don’t want to be here anymore,” Musicant said.

Every year in New Jersey, about 15,000 people suffer traumatic brain injuries, according to the state’s data.

These numbers include 1,000 that are fatal, almost 175,000 people in the state are living with disabilities associated with the condition.

Nationally, traumatic brain injury affects nearly 2 million people a year with an economic impact estimated at $80 billion, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For his rehabilitation process, Musicant completed physical therapy to walk again, then ride indoors.

He worked with neurological specialists for months to regain cognitive ability and manage the emotional fallout from suffering so many limitations.

The remarkable recovery has included another mission: Musicant; his wife, Julie; their daughter, Casey; and their son, Ross, have started a foundation raise money for research and to aid families forced to endure brain injuries that may not have the resources or support.

This past October his hard work paid off when he finally competed in the  Ironman World Championship  in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in which athletes have to qualify based on previous standings in Ironman competitions to compete in the 2.4-mile open water swim, 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile run.

“I cried during the race which is like weird,” he said. “I cried on the bike. I cried seeing those two at the finish line,” Musicant said referring to his wife Julie and daughter Casey. He then phoned his son Ross.

After all the struggle and setbacks, the family created The Musicant Family Brain Trust as a way to aid research and fund direct services for people impacted by brain injuries.

Musicant’s hospital care was well in the $400,000 range, which was paid  by a successful lawsuit against the trucking company that struck him. The family also donated up to $500,000 of their own personal funds.

The beneficiaries of the Musicant family fund are the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, a statewide non-profit with chapters in every county that provides direct services and support research at the  Vanderbilt University  Medical Center’s Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic.