Friends and Family,

Twenty-one years ago, during a college game, I was hit by three defenders. The impact slammed my head into the turf, leaving me disoriented and unaware of what had just happened. I went to the wrong huddle and the referee sent me to the sideline.The trainer and team doctor assessed me according to protocol and just fifteen minutes later, I was cleared to return and finished the game. It would be my last.

I suffered a traumatic brain injury that day and still suffer the consequences. I started the Hold Fast Foundation out of desperation but now it is a daily source of hope for me. The Hold Fast Foundation affirms my Faith and exists to bring hope where it’s needed most. My Hold Fast Team has helped me continue to explore therapies and practices.

I want to share with you where I am in my health journey now and how you’ve played a vital role in getting me here. It's been a long road, but one full of progress and newfound hope. Over the past few months, I’ve experienced changes in my brain, “layers upon layers”, as if pathways that have been blocked for years are finally being cleared. It feels like my mind is reconnecting to who I truly am. 

I’ve found a boldness in how I communicate, and thoughts that were once scattered are now emerging with clarity. It’s like being in a Yellow Lamborghini, powerful and ready, but navigating through the slow streets of a neighborhood with "Kids at Play" signs. I’m waiting and anticipating the open road where I can finally unleash everything I’ve been holding back.

But this process isn’t without setbacks. Part of this process is learning my capacity. My brain has adapted over the last 21 years, and now, as it wakes up, I’ve faced overwhelming stimuli that I wasn’t prepared for. Lights, sounds, even emotional relationships overload my senses. 

My brain sometimes reacts like a breaker box and shuts down. I’ve had to retreat, wear headphones to block out noise, and even use my wheelchair to conserve energy. I wear sunglasses not just for comfort, but because they are part of how I protect myself in this phase of healing. My office is dark, my home is dark, and I try to be intentional about the environments I enter.

I’m sharing this with you because I NEED your help, personally. I also believe that I am called to become more educated in trauma in the brain. Not just for myself, but for others who live with quiet desperation, trying to navigate similar challenges. I’ve learned that healing is possible through resources and people. My care team of doctors and chemists, and my support team of family and friends give me HOPE. There are alternative approaches I will continue to lean into, which we will keep you informed of through our newsletters. I know it’s possible to thrive, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. We believe that “things that happen to us, happen for us”.

I stay as disciplined as possible with my routine, and I am blessed to have the support of people who understand me, those who foster my gifts, and are mindful of my limitations. I’ve even returned to work, showing up every day to a company I founded with my brother and a few other partners. It has given me a sense of hope, support, and purpose. 

But the reality is that continuing on this journey comes with significant costs. Living at my optimal state, where I can fully engage in life and my responsibilities as a father, brother, business owner, and friend, requires resources. 

I have an amazing team around me and they are key to my recovery. But I can not financially sustain the work they do on my own.  I am not asking for a handout, but rather an investment into a future where I can be at my best to regenerate, refocus, and create opportunities not only for myself but for others.

I’m so grateful for the love and support you’ve given me so far. I’m asking for your continued help to allow me the time and resources I need to complete this journey. Together, I believe we can make an impact, not just in my life, but in the lives of many who face similar battles. Thank you for being here with me.

With love and gratitude

Hold Fast, 

ShayBo

Note: Shay's Hold Fast Care team is the prototype for the type of team we aim to provide for others. From one day to the next as many as ten people are part of Shay's care. As you can imagine this comes with enormous financial burden. Our goal is to have enough sustaining donations from this campaign to offset Shay's cost by $10k/month. These funds can be used for other purposes but only with careful board of director oversight. We are so determined to help Shay so that he can grow the impact we can make.