Rooted in Science.Led by Compassion.

Freshman year of high school, I was a tall, underweight, kid determined to be a high-ranking football player, but within five minutes of play, in my first game, I had my first severe head trauma. I caught a pass up the middle, was tackled, and came down with my head bouncing against the ground. Instantly, my parents and coaches knew something was not right, given my crooked, unbalanced walking, and slurred speech. I was rushed immediately to the hospital.

The doctors found an arachnoid cyst the size of the golf ball in the exact place where my skull hit the ground. The standard of care was simple; rest and return to school in a few weeks. I followed those instructions for a few weeks, but when I returned to school, I noticed my concentration and brain function was declining, and I was enduring constant headaches. My memory of the game, the tackle, and the entire hospital experience was gone.

And of course, I did what any ordinary high school kid would do – I told no one and hoped it would go away. What I didn’t realize at the time was how this event was going to impact me for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to the following year; I returned to playing football and was back in the weight room for strength training. Yet, without any formal training or knowledge of proper technique, I made “Power Cleaning” part of my routine. Inevitably, with poor form and too much weight, I felt a POP! The pain was remarkable, and the next morning and for the following three weeks, I was unable to walk.

An MRI demonstrated several severely herniated discs in my lower back that were compressing three nerve roots, which supplied function to my legs. I met with the surgeons, and the prognosis was frightful. Spinal fusion? What? Then my football coach advised me to see his chiropractor. After three months of non-invasive treatments, I was able to ride my bicycle to his office and back. That chiropractor saved my life and set the stage for my life’s work as a chiropractor.

Now nearly a decade in practice, I reflect on my teenage self often and how my patients are as important to me as my family. I feel truly blessed to wake up every day with excitement and passion for impacting the lives of my patients. I also never stopped the pursuit of learning. As medicine and science continue to evolve, so does my approach toward helping my patients, and the Hartman Center for Functional Neurology / Bettering Brains Bettering Bodies® embodies that commitment. My commitment.