10% Chance of Survival: Vincent Van de Broeck’s TBI & Coma Recovery

Vincent Van de Broeck was given just a 10% chance of survival after a devastating e-scooter accident left him with a severe traumatic brain injury. After spending three weeks in a coma, surviving was only the beginning.

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland talks with Vincent about his extraordinary recovery—relearning how to walk, talk, eat, and handle everyday tasks most of us take for granted.

Vincent shares what it was really like to gradually wake from a coma, the difficult prognosis his family faced, and the extensive damage to his skull that eventually required a custom 3D-printed implant.

He also discusses the people who refused to give up on him, particularly his wife and family, who lived through weeks of uncertainty while Vincent was unconscious.

Through his recovery, Vincent came to see resilience not simply as something you’re born with, but as something you can develop and strengthen. That experience also helped shape the ideas behind his book, Everything Feels Impossible Until It’s Done  (https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Feels-Impossible-Until-Done/dp/1911774360) .

In this episode:

• Surviving a severe traumatic brain injury
• Being given a 10% chance of survival
• What waking from a three-week coma was really like
• Relearning how to walk, talk, eat, and live independently
• Reconstructing his skull with a 3D-printed implant
• The impact on Vincent’s wife and family
• Why hope mattered when the prognosis was bleak
• Developing resilience through adversity
• The role of mindset and consistent action
• The story behind Everything Feels Impossible Until It’s Done

Vincent’s story is a powerful reminder that something feeling impossible doesn’t mean it will stay that way.

Subscribe to We’re Not Stumped for conversations about disability, resilience, recovery, self-advocacy, and people facing extraordinary challenges.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Watch on YouTube

Listen on Spotify

  • Brooke Brown’s Butterfly Touch

July 1st, 2025|

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Brooke Brown—a passionate advocate, spiritual wellness guide, and founder of Brooke’s Butterfly Touch. Brooke, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, shares how her journey led her to discover Reiki, energy healing, and the power of self-connection. As an Ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona and host of the Rolling in Grace podcast, Brooke empowers others to live with purpose, embrace their uniqueness, and become their own biggest advocates. She shares her message of accessibility, inclusion, and disability visibility, along with the importance of assuming competence in every interaction.

  • feeling alone after limb loss

June 26th, 2025|

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland introduces the first part of his personal “Triple A’s” philosophy: Alone, Advocacy, and Attitude. Today’s focus is on that first word—Alone—a stage that many people experience after limb loss but rarely talk about openly. Mike, a congenital amputee and cancer survivor, shares what it means to feel alone physically, emotionally, and socially after amputation—and why that feeling doesn’t have to last forever. He explores practical, real-world solutions that help amputees take their first steps toward healing, including: The power of peer support and community How therapy and mental health resources can help Adaptive sports and creative outlets to rediscover purpose Navigating prosthetics, rehab, and daily independence Rebuilding identity and reclaiming confidence Whether you’re newly navigating limb loss or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that you’re never truly alone. Hope, connection, and healing are all within reach.

  • partial hand prosthetic design

June 24th, 2025|

What happens when childhood curiosity, global service, and cutting-edge tech come together? You get a conversation like this one. In the latest episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Chris Baschuk—Director of Clinical Services at Point Designs, board member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, and a passionate ambassador for the POP initiative (Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics). Chris is not just shaping the future of upper limb prosthetics—he’s building it, one 3D-printed component at a time. From tinkering with tools in his youth to being inspired by mission work in Brazil, Chris’s journey into biomedical engineering and prosthetics is as meaningful as it is innovative. In this wide-ranging interview, he and Mike dive deep into the latest advances in prosthetic care—particularly for partial hand amputees—and how additive manufacturing is unlocking new levels of function, customization, and durability.

By |September 1st, 2026|General Disability Related Resources and News|Comments Off on 10% Chance of Survival: Vincent Van de Broeck’s TBI & Coma Recovery

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Go to Top