Testimonials

Have you worked with RESTART? Whether you received assistance as a TBI survivor, were part of a presentation, or have come across RESTART in your community, please leave a testimonial telling us about your experience. All testimonials will be reviewed before being shown publicly.

Kevin McDonald, RESTART Founder and CEO

It was a pleasure to have Kevin come out and speak to the Police Dept for which I work! While attending various trainings regarding the "impaired driver", we as police are trained to identify signs of conditions such as a TBI. Kevin's presentation however gave a first hand perspective of the importance of further recognizing signs and symptoms and added to the tools needed to assist someone both on and off the job. It was warming to see that Kevin pulled through his traumatic event and has turned it into such a positive message. Great Job!

Officer William Czaplicki, Tredyffrin Police Department

Kevin McDonald’s RESTART event was a celebration of life, healing, and awareness of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The program was filled with music, stories, education and fellowship. I am inspired by Kevin and his colleagues in their commitment to personal healing and to helping others with TBI and their families. One key project of Kevin and RESTART is to raise money to buy bike helmets for children. I thank Kevin for bringing us together to better understand the challenges and possibilities for victims of TBI. Thanks for your good work!

Senator Carolyn T. Comitta, PA State Senate

I invited a member of Bryn Mawr Rehab’s brain injury community to our group to share his transformation process as well. Our guest speaker related his nine year recovery experiences which were fraught with physical, cognitive, and emotional struggles. This individual went from being on life support, emerging from a coma, graduating from inpatient and outpatient rehab programs, earning his associates degree in CAD, developing an advocacy organization, and eventually landing a full-time job in his field. He shared his struggles with accepting his deficits, post injury changes, and having to “reinvent” himself. His coping toolbox consisted of his former athlete mentality of “keep going,” “just do it,” focus on your preserved abilities and strengths, and finding something that interests you and brings you a sense of purpose and gratitude. Kevin McDonald was our guest speaker and he expanded on his experience by becoming a brain injury advocate and developing his own advocacy program, RESTART your Life / RENEW Your Mind. This program consists of raising funds for the brain injury community when other resources are unavailable, providing brain injury education and community resources, and guiding individuals with brain injury in their recovery process. Kevin and RESTART graciously raised the other half of the transportation cost for our trip to the Mind Your Brain Conference at Penn Medicine. We are grateful for his financial and emotional support to our concussion support group.

Janet R. Belitsky. Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Concussion Support Group Facilitator, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital

In Pennsylvania, we’ve made strides in preventing traumatic brain injuries and other severe injuries and in helping survivors recover to the fullest of their abilities. There is still more work to be done in supporting research and rehabilitation programs and raising public awareness. I must recognize the volunteers, advocates, and organizations, like Kevin McDonald and RESTART Your Life / RENEW Your Mind, as well as the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania and the Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania for their hard work, dedication, and service in this ongoing effort.

Former PA State Senator Andy Dinniman, Co-Chair Pennsylvania Senate Brain Injury Caucus

Officer William Czaplicki, Tredyffrin Police Department