Our Story - Survivor Turned Expert
Sarah Shadi’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and the power of shared experience.
A bright and driven student from an early age, Sarah’s life changed at just 12 years old when she suffered a sudden hemorrhagic stroke caused by a genetic condition known as an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The stroke left lasting cognitive and physical challenges that would shape her path, but never define it. Over the next 17 years, she underwent five Gamma Knife brain surgeries, resulting in a complex, multi-stage acquired brain injury (ABI).
Watching Sarah navigate adolescence with a brain injury was heartbreaking for her father, Adel Shadi. But Adel understood the terrain in a deeply personal way. Two decades earlier, he had survived an accident that resulted in a leg amputation and a long-term traumatic brain injury (TBI). What once felt like tragedy became an unexpected source of insight — one that allowed him to mentor Sarah through her recovery journey.
Yet mentoring between father and daughter was never one-sided. Their shared experience created a bond built on resilience, mutual growth, and a deep understanding of life after neurological trauma.
Early in her recovery, Sarah was cautioned against pursuing higher education. The road ahead appeared daunting. Still, she refused to surrender her dreams. Despite seizures, persistent cognitive fatigue, and significant daily limitations, she persevered through a long academic journey that spanned nearly two decades. Her determination ultimately led her to earn a Master’s degree and later a PhD in Psychology, specializing in brain injury and neurorehabilitation — a powerful testament to endurance and purpose.
Even with these achievements, the challenges did not end. Seizures — both focal and grand mal — remained one of the most difficult consequences of her injury, at times limiting her independence and forcing prolonged periods of isolation. Rather than retreat, Sarah turned inward with intention. She dedicated her academic work to studying social isolation, exploring its psychological depth and its profound impact on individuals living with neurological trauma.
Sarah completed her doctoral internship and dissertation under extraordinary circumstances, graduating in 2023. But life tested her again when a resurgence of seizures prevented her from beginning postdoctoral training and left her unable to drive for more than 20 months. Once again, isolation returned. This time, however, it became a catalyst for something new. Sarah began cultivating meaningful local connection and community close to home.
Out of this season of reflection emerged a shared calling.
Combining Sarah’s academic expertise in neurorehabilitation and social isolation with Adel’s decades of lived experience in brain injury recovery and adaptive sports, they joined forces to build something meaningful for others walking a similar path: End Social Isolation.
Together, their work represents more than survival — it reflects a commitment to transforming lived experience into purpose-driven action. Shaped by research and grounded in real-world recovery, their mission is clear: to ensure that no survivor or caregiver walks the path of neurological trauma alone.
The need is profound, and the work is still growing. But through shared experience, compassionate leadership, and a deep belief in human resilience, they continue building a movement rooted in connection, dignity, and hope.
They invite others to walk this journey with them — to help end social isolation and support survivors and caregivers in rediscovering connection, clarity, and strength along the road to healing.
Father & Daughter Team -
Adel & Sarah Shadi
