Gail Strom, mother of Hannah, shares a deeply personal reflection on the grief that can follow survival after a disorder of consciousness. In this video, she describes the complicated emotions of mourning the child her daughter was before injury—while learning to embrace who Hannah has become. Gail speaks honestly about survivor’s guilt, hidden grief, and the feeling that she didn’t “have the right” to mourn because her child lived. Her story sheds light on a form of grief that is rarely discussed but deeply real for many families navigating brain injury recovery. This video offers validation, compassion, and hope for parents and caregivers grieving change while celebrating progress.
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What’s it like to feel grief over a child who survived a disorder of consciousness?
With Gail Strom
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Gail Strom
Hannah’s Mother
I met another mom in here that we would, both of us would talk about that and how we both felt sort of guilty in a way. We almost like we couldn't talk about it with others. In our case, Hannah survived and she had a dear friend that did not in this accident. And so for us, we were grieving. I was grieving the old Hannah. I can say now I'm embracing the new Hannah. But back then I was grieving the Hannah I lost, as she was healing. I didn't really tell people that because you feel you don't have the, I almost felt like I didn't have the right for that grief because she survived, so to speak. But really I was grieving my old, my Hannah, my daughter before January 15th. And now I will say, do I have a little bit of that still? I would say yes. I think I always will, but I definitely am embracing the new Hannah. She has come so far and really has surpassed anything I could ever have imagined at this point.
Produced by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC), this story is part of the Recovering from Disorders of Consciousness Hot Topic Module. The content of this video is based on research and/or professional consensus. This content has been reviewed and approved by experts from the Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS) centers, funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, as well as experts from the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRCs), with funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The content of the video has also been reviewed by individuals with TBI and/or their family members.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to replace the advice of a medical professional. You should consult your health care provider about specific medical concerns or treatment. The contents of this video were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DPKT0009). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this video do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Copyright © 2026 Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC). May be reproduced and distributed freely with appropriate attribution. Prior permission must be obtained for inclusion in fee-based materials.
About the author: Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC)
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) is a national center operated by the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®) The MSKTC collaborates with Model System researchers to translate health information into easy to understand language and formats for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury and those who support them.
