TyAnne was a regular mom doing school runs, helping with homework and folding a never-ending pile of laundry.  On April 10, 2013, all that changed. She became a caregiver to a child with a brain injury. Since that day, she has faced many parent’s worst nightmares.  She has advocated for her child with medical providers, mental health professionals, insurance companies, lawyers and educators. She has developed an extensive network of medical and therapeutic providers, teachers, and school administrators, and legal and financial professionals to help her child regain abilities that most thought unrealistic.  Through her years of experience as a brain injury parent, she has tried to provide help and hope to other families with similar experiences. The pile of laundry is still never-ending, and even though her life changed forever that day, she still loves to bake, travel, binge on Netflix and considers herself a novice photographer.

“TyAnne is highly qualified to help brain injured individuals, spouses and family members deal with the full time job of caring for an injured loved-one.”
- Lynn Harris, Attorney

Dr. Judy Gooch is a physician who is board certified in adult and pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Practicing medicine since 1986, she was the medical director at a major children's hospital and a professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine.  In 2012 Dr. Gooch started Utah Neuro Rehabilitation, a private medical practice focused on improving the lives of children and adults with neurologic conditions. She has written many articles and book chapters on rehabilitation and spoken at national and international conferences.  For over 30 years, Dr. Gooch has worked to improve the lives of people who have had a brain injury.

“Dr. Gooch's profession and her life’s purpose is to help TBI patients and guide them through the difficult maze of recovering from a brain injury.
- Lynn Harris, Attorney

In 2011, while riding motorcycles in Idaho, Laura Nordfelt’s husband passed out on his motorcycle and crashed. She watched helplessly from her own bike. He suffered a severe brain injury (among other injuries) and was transferred by life flight to the hospital in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They spent 2 weeks in the ICU and then a couple of more weeks in a hospital in Salt Lake City for neuro rehab. Their marriage has been very different and not one that Laura was prepared for. With love, hard work and patience, they tackle their new life together!

As mothers, Laura feels we are naturally prepared to be caretakers. However, the thought of taking care of an adult TBI survivor long term was extremely hard on her. Early on, brain injury patients are surrounded by doctors and therapists working with them constantly, monitoring them and recording their every move and progress. Caregivers are left completely on their own to figure out their new lives and how to make it all work. In many ways, they are set up to fail with no guidelines, no manuals and no pats on the back.

In addition to running her own business, it’s been extremely important for Laura to continue her own personal healing and give back to the TBI community. She sits on the board of the Brain Injury Alliance of Utah and started a caregiver group in her area which has helped countless other caregivers as well as providing a source for Laura’s PTSD healing. Learning how to navigate a new life and also take care of yourself, as a caregiver is essential. Laura’s focus now is providing this awareness to brain injury caregivers.

"Laura is a BIAU board member and a TBI caregiver.
She started Utah's first brain injury caregiver support group.
She works to ensure that her trials and tribulations can help others and bring them comfort."
- Brain Injury Alliance of Utah's Caregiver of the Year Award, 2019