As part of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we will be bringing you stories of courage, and perseverance from those with lived experience of a brain injury.  Our first comes from Peter Shepis MS, CRC, CWIC.  He has overcome his life, and now helps others overcome adversity.

Here is Peter’s story:

 

I work for the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) as a
Program Administrator for Adult Services. Before moving to Florida, I worked in mental health in
Arizona for six years. In 2014, I became a community partner work incentives counselor (CWIC)
from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). This year is my tenth year working for VR. In
2020 I received a master’s in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling from West
Virginia University (WVU). I am also a stroke survivor, and this is my story.

In October 2022, I went to the hospital with a blood infection. I was in the hospital for three
weeks and then went home with a pic line and waited for heart surgery. On November 1, 2022, I
had a stroke and was sent by helicopter to a different hospital for another three weeks to wait
for surgery. My stroke left me with Aphasia, a disorder affecting communication. It can impact
my speech and the way I write and understand both spoken and written language. I went home
on Thanksgiving Day 2022 and have been working on my recovery ever since.

A month after being released from the hospital, I began speech therapy at Brooks
Rehabilitation with Jyll Homes and Madelynn Adams for individual and group therapy. In
January 2023 on top of my therapy, I started attending the Brooks Rehabilitation Clubhouse
three days a week and on the other days, I would meet with my speech therapists for individual
and group therapy.

While attending the Clubhouse I applied and was approved to attend the Brooks Rehabilitation
Aphasia Center two days a week. This is where all the magic happened for me as I progressed
and learned how to read and write again. I also made new lasting friendships at Brooks that
inspire and encourage me every day. I found new joy in little wins in games like Words with

Friends or having conversations at coffee chat. Kathy Martin Brooks Brain Injury Clubhouse and
Jodi Morgan Brooks Aphasia Center and their staff made a huge difference in my recovery.

In June 2023 Dr. Day with Baptist Neurology Group cleared that I could go back to work part-
time five hours a day Monday-Thursday with Friday off so, that I could still go to the Aphasia
Center. In October 2023 I increased my hours to seven hours a day Monday- Thursday. I went
back to work full-time in November 2023 Monday- Friday 7 am to 3:30 pm which allowed me to
still go to doctor appointments in the afternoon.

While I was recovering, I opened a VR case. My counselor made a referral to the Rehabilitation
Engineer, and she made recommendations. With accommodation and technology, I am using
tools to make me successful at work. Also, my counselor helped me get the authorizations I
needed to successfully pay for my speech therapy and go to the Aphasia Center as my
insurance would not pay. Most recently in 2025, I have successfully closed my case with VR.

A recommendation was made in 2024, to be part of the FL statewide Brain Injury Florida (BIF)
advisory board. As a member, I have made recommendations to the State Plan, and in May
2025 I will be present at the BIF Annual Educational Conference.

I studied disability and worked at VR promoting and assisting people with disabilities in making
careers a reality. My stroke and aphasia were ironic. I was the one who could solve problems
and connect people with great services for them to return to work. I never thought in a million
years that I would be the one needing help. I learned that life could change in a second. I am a
husband, father, provider, friend, and professional, now I have a new sense of belonging as a
peer, advocate, student, and survivor.
It is funny how life can take you down a path to a place you never thought you would go. I am
happy to have survived and recovered and can share with you a little bit of my story, my hope,
and my gratitude. Remember to look forward to the future but, always be in the present!