On April 14^th, 2015 police found Jakob Buhler unconscious on the pavement after he was hit by a moving vehicle on his skateboard. The first responders, nurses, and doctors that put Buhler back together will never forget this horrific event, yet for Buhler it’s a night he may never remember.

Buhler experienced his first miracle while lying on the pavement. Paramedics assumed Buhler was a 30-year-old man due to his tall stature and bigger figure. This assumption led to him being taken to the University of Utah hospital instead of Primary Children’s Hospital, where minors are normally taken. Buhler’s injury required a rare type of surgery, a bi-lateral bone flap, which isn’t even allowed to be performed at Primary. If Buhler had been taken there first, not much could’ve been done therefore his brain would’ve swelled and he wouldn’t be on the road to recovery today.

On this Thursday afternoon, Buhler’s mother, Emily had been on a hike with her nephew. When receiving a call from the University Hospital, the nurse refused to tell her what was going on, and was urgently told to get to the hospital quickly. Emily arrived to the hospital and nurses and doctors still wouldn’t tell her what had happen; the only information she was given was that her son was being treated. Her state of shock escalated to a sharp pain piercing her heart at the thought that she might have lost her son.

Doctors told Emily that her son was in critical condition, and had already been taken into surgery with an estimated time of two hours. Two hours of riding the emotional rollercoaster soon turned into six hours until it came to a halt. Doctors greeted Emily with her family and friends, and let them know how lucky Buhler was. The initial thought doctors had was that Buhler had no chance of surviving. But, in this case Buhler had an extra set of hands in this surgery, those of an angel. His skull had been cut into two, and taken out completely to freeze while his brain was swelling down. The impact of the hit completely trashed almost all functioning parts in Buhlers head.

Being as fragile as a glass doll, Emily was restrained from touching her son when she stepped foot into the sorrowful ICU room. As if it was yesterday, that Emily remembers the overwhelming feeling of blessings when she saw Buhler, “I thought his face wouldn’t be recognizable, but when I walked in I could recognize my Jacob,” Emily says then exhales a deep breath and in a shaky voice says, “It was just surreal.”

Buhlers first long night in the hospital seemed like it would never come to an end. Emily knew she couldn’t take care of her son by herself, and had admired this one nurse named Christina. Christina had that night off but Emily begged her to help take care of Buhler like he was her own. Buhler was put into a comma so that his brain would have an easier time healing, and while he was in a comma Emily said to him “Jake, I don’t think I can make it without you, you’ve got to fight.”  After 21 long days in the hospital Buhler was transferred to Primary Childrens Hospital to begin his rehab, while in rehab Buhler brought up what his mom had said to him asking her if she had any idea who said it to him, Emily reminded him that, that was her who told him that she won’t be able to make it if he doesn’t. Buhler still wasn’t walking at that point whenever he attempted to move, or somebody attempted to move him he would throw up profusely due to his brain fluid leaking everywhere which caused him intense nausea.

Buhlers injuries have caused a differentiation in his personality and thought process. He has become very impulsive, and mood swings play a large role in his current day life. Along with the many brain disorders, Buhler has no recollection of any of the nurses or doctors that took care of him the first three weeks. When Buhler goes back to the hospital he stayed at, the whole staff hugs him and reminds him of how important he is, yet he has no idea who any of the people are.

Buhler was found at fault for the accident, he failed to stop at a stop sign and since he was on a skate board he wasn’t considered a pedestrian. Emily took all of Buhlers on by herself being a single mom. A GoFundMe was started for Buhlers accident to raise 25,000$, and they successfully raised 6,000$. When Buhler hears his mom talking to the bill people on the phone he says, “Mom I promise I’m going to pay you back some day, just wait.” Buhlers father passed away October 2014, and lost his sister due to adoption a couple years back as well. Putting two and two together it is easy to say that he and his family have not had it easy.

A brain injury is known as an invisible injury. So not much attention is given to injury as physical injuries like a broken arm or neck are given. Through the rough trials faced, Buhler has stayed positive. His positivity has rubbed off on everyone around him which melted away lots of the stress in hard times. Buhlers social life was strongly impacted after his accident, he is not able to go out and do many things teenage boys do on a daily basis. He is always surrounded by adults and family so not much teenage friend interaction happens in his life. Buhler volunteers weekly, and is now raising awareness for his type of surgery he had done. He was invited by well-known doctors to a convention to speak on his accident,

During his injury Buhler was in the 9th grade, and after his injury he only had one credit left to be able to graduate 9th grade. Kathy Stringham played a large role in helping Buhler finish out this credit. He went from being able to read a book in a day to having to spend six weeks on one book. Although it was excruciating and long, Buhler and his moms stuck it out and accomplished it successfully. He now only comes to school on B-days for two classes. The noise and lights tremendously wear out Buhlers brain so after a half day at school he needs to take a two to three hour nap to re-energize his brain.

Buhler was given the nickname “Trauma Unicorn” due to his magical recovery and condition. His inspiring positivity has encouraged everyone to remember that this is just another trial of life and a blessing in disguise. He is considered a super star in the surgery world, and surgeons have invited him to conferences to speak and be spoken to. A males brain usually is fully developed at age 25 leaving Buhler plenty years to fully recover and go back to having a normally functioning brain.  He is dedicated to recovering and staying humble about hard things that may come his way.