The Chicago Sun-Times story on Sunday about the progress being made by a 16-year-old Gary girl who last year suffered a brutal physical attack cast a spotlight on what happens when someone suffers a severe brain injury. Attorneys at Romanucci & Blandin are all too familiar with the scenario because so many of our clients have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

In her mind, the victim sought solace in a safer time – back to when she was 6. In the newspaper story, her father likened her situation to a computer rebooting and returning to safe mode. Just like any computer that has crashed, once it comes back up, only certain information can be accessed

The girl has learned to read again and to count up to 14. She can sometimes walk a few steps, but for the most part, she is confined to her wheelchair. She knows she has memory loss, which is particularly painful when friends come to visit and she can’t remember them.

Her loving parents shuttle her to physical and psychiatric therapy four or five times a week, and her sisters take turns sleeping next to her to comfort her when she has nightmares.

Let’s hope that family love, good medical care and time heal the emotional and physical wounds suffered by this young woman and that she can eventually become self-sufficient and lead a happy, fulfilling life.