HOLLAND, Mich. -- A West Michigan man is now making it his mission to educate others after an accident years ago forever changed his life.
Twenty-nine-year-old Brandon Osborn is working to make a difference, after he got in a snowmobiling accident eight years ago. He ended up hitting a tree; he stayed in that same spot for seven hours until another group of snowmobilers found him.
Growing up, Osborn was like any other young teen, loved the outdoors, had lots of friends and was good at sports; he even won four state championship titles in wrestling.
But at about 16 he started getting into drugs and alcohol, choosing to drink and smoke over everything else. Then at 21-years-old life as he knew it changed. Brandon says he was drunk and high during that snowmobile accident.
Osborn spent five months in a coma. His two young sons didn’t know if he would live or die. Not being able to help raise the boys as he should, Brandon says is one of the hardest things.
Now confined to a wheelchair, things Brandon once took for granted are a struggle, everything from eating, drinking and even getting help to dress himself.
“It’s just hard to do anything and I’ve got to depend on other people,” he said.
But through the tough times, Brandon decided to make something of them, sharing the effects drugs and alcohol had on his life. He says he feels like he’s here for a reason; he now shares his story at local schools, colleges, youth groups and drivers ed courses. He hopes opening up to show others a very real reality can make someone else think twice.
“I don’t want no one else to make that same mistake as I made,” he said. “The choices you make, we all have our own consequences and nobody thinks about that.”
If you are interested in having Brandon speak at an event contact Deanna Vanderwal at dvandrwal@miottawa.org
