'I was in a coma for about 45 days': UBC student graduates after near-fatal accident
A graduating student at UBC who nearly lost his life is setting out to help support those with traumatic brain injuries.
Yi Du will walk across the stage on Wednesday to wrap up his undergraduate degree—a journey that included a longboarding collision with a vehicle in the fall of 2021 that left him with brain injuries he says many thought he would never recover from.
"I was in a coma for about 45 days," said Du. "They had to help me breathe, so they had me connected to a ventilator."
Du, who was then 22 years old, says when he awoke, he faced an uphill battle. He suffered from a condition called left hemiparesis, which caused muscle weakness throughout his body, and he needed help walking.
The student spent the next few months trying to regain strength by undergoing an intensive rehabilitation program. Finally, after months of work, Du began seeing progress; he gained weight and gradually improved his walking.
In May 2022, Du said, he was discharged and began to set his eyes on the next semester in September, where he could continue his education.
Du returned to UBC in fall 2022 and continued with his academic success, despite his brain injuries.
"He performed well academically; he was an A+ student," said Dr. Lyndia Wu, an assistant professor at UBC.
Wu, whose research area is brain injury and concussion biomechanics, says before his accident, Du had been learning from her and was interested in pursuing similar research after graduation.
"I personally know that the prognosis from a severe brain injury is poor. This recovery is amazing. It's extraordinary," said Wu.
Wu says despite a year delay in receiving his diploma, Du's experience ignited a passion for seeking education that could one day help others.
The now-24-year-old plans to attend Stanford University this September and obtain a PhD in the hopes of developing technology to support those with traumatic brain injuries.
When CTV News asked Du what it was going to feel like when he walked across the stage on Wednesday, he smiled and quickly said he'll try not to fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.