Marc Ranallo

In the early 1980's, Marc Ranallo's life was turned around when he suffered a TBI, traumatic brain injury. Here is his story.

This image represents the hell that I have been through since the accident, and now I am flying free as an eagle. Painting has been my therapy; when I started I walked with two canes and now need only one.

When I was 11 years old I wanted to go roller skating with my brother and a couple of friends. Previously, my Mom had told me that I was not allowed to go out because she was going out with her girlfriend. But I was 11 years old and thought I was invincible. I decided to go to the Roller Palace. Before leaving I had asked one of my buddies if I could wear his dark bar jacket. I was 11 and I thought it was cool. My buddy said no and we walked up to the Roller Palace and skated and had fun. On the way home it was 11:00 at night and it was kid of cold outside so I asked my buddy again if I could wear his jacket. This time he said yes. I was on the side of the freeway, with my buddy, and he proceeded to walk across the freeway. A car saw him, swerved to miss him and hit me instead.

The recovery at the hospital lasted nine months. I got to go home on weekend passes, but every Sunday night, when I could see the hospital in the distance, I was sad. Sad because I knew I would be away from home for a week. I was very attached to my Mom and my family so it was very hard for me to say goodbye to my Mom, brother and sister, but I did. 

As I lay in bed, I would contemplate my life and I would always think back to the day of the accident. My Mom told me that I was not to leave the house but I disobeyed her. I should have listened to my mother. Remember the cliche, Mother knows best!

Before my accident I was a carefree adolescent without a care in the world. I was a good student and a good athlete. I enjoyed all sports although football was my favorite. When I was 10, my brother and I joined a midget football league. The first year I was on the "Tampa Bay Buccaneers" and we were lousy. We lost every game. My brother was on the "Seattle Seahawks" and I forget his record. The second year I was on the "Oakland Raiders". I never left the football field - I was on both offense and defense. On offense I scored the first and only touchdown for my team. On defense I was all over the field. At the end of the season, we had an awards banquet and I received a trophy for the most outstanding running back on my team. 

So, you can understand how detrimental my accident was to me. Not even a year after I played my last down, I was in the accident and had to learn how to live my life again. But I was not bitter, I just had a big challenge ahead of me and I love challenges. I had lots of things going against me. Although I had paralysis all throughout my body, the major issue was that i suffered brain damage. But, again I was just 11 years old and I had my whole life ahead of me. So, I got busy. After my stint in the hospital, I went to outpatient therapy and noticed improvement in my walking, this increased my desire to do more. I can remember by Mom being there every third session. She came to the hospital everyday to see me, rain or shine. My Mom has been with me through everything. She is my heart and soul. 

While in the hospital (on the 5th floor), I would occasionally sneak up to the 7th floor art studio. I would dabble in art and after awhile became pretty proficient with paint. So, thanks to my efforts and the Therapy Through the Arts (a MetroHealth Hospital program), I became an artist. The art world has been pretty good to me, both financially and emotionally. I've sold paintings and given them away as gifts. The moral of the story is to make the best of a bad situation. 

I have had several jobs but painting is my passion. It's what I could always rely on. You should always go with what your heart tells you to do and whatever makes you feel comfortable. In the words of the immortal Robert Frost, "My object in living is to unite my avocation and my vacation." In other words, do what you enjoy doing. 

God only lets these things happen to people who can handle it and I am handling it just fine!

- Marc