On Sc'Eric's Return and an in-person Fundraising Opportunity

Sc'Eric did have an unplanned grocery store trip on Saturday and was spotted by someone. This isn't bad - we're trying to give him opportunities to get back into life - but it's important to understand that while he looks the same, his brain is not in the same place, and he doesn't always realize that (anosognosia). There's an article that, while focused on caretakers, will likely apply to all of us: The Invisible Grief of Loving Someone Who Came Back Different

That said, I think it behooves all of us to learn at least a little more about recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and we have a unique opportunity coming up that is also a fundraiser for Sc'Eric. I'll let the organizer, Kathy Morrow, take the reins for a moment:

Dear Friends,

You are cordially invited to a special event on August 20, 2026, beginning at 5pm, at 3Dots Downtown, State College, where Lethan Candlish will share, "Who Am I Again?," a story of recovery from traumatic brain injury.

In addition to Lethan's masterful performance, the evening will feature community organizations sharing resources and creative activities, refreshments, an opportunity to participate in a journaling and storytelling exercise, and a talk-back with Lethan following his performance.

Thanks to an Awesome Grant from 3Dots, the event is free for all individual and group participants. Many of you may know, Sc'Eric Horner, a beloved local bartender. Sc'Eric was in a bicycle accident this June and suffered a traumatic brain injury. A Go-Fund-Me has recently been created to help cover costs of what will be astronomical bills. With blessings from Sc'Eric's loved ones, and Lethan, we will be collecting funds for Sc'Eric. In Lethan's words, "It will be a privilege to collect donations - the purpose of this piece is to reach out and if I can help in any way, it will be an honor. I’m so sorry to hear about his accident and hope this story can help in some small way."

Please register yourself or your organization here.

We hope to see you on August 20 for a creative, thoughtful, and moving time together.

Thank you,

Kathy Morrow, event organizer

I've also added the flyer to this post

 

GoFundMe progress and the road to NTC

Thank you ALL very much for your donations! We’re nearly a quarter of the way to our goal after only a week! You guys rock! Every one of the donations counts and will help Sc’Eric.

Considering the degree of his injury Sc’Eric is doing amazing. He is still having balance issues, some issues communicating, can’t smell much (he is happy he can smell coffee; says that food tastes fine) and problems with short term memory and recall. Logical decisions made based on improperly updated memories can be dangerous. As such, he cannot yet be left alone. But the great news is that he says he remembers everyone in the photos, and friends who have visited say he is very much Himself.

Sc’Eric has hit a mutual limit on further extending his time at Encompass. His improvement has surpassed what their resources are designed to accommodate and they are obligated to move him along -- and he is unhappy continuing to stay there. With the NTC not yet open, it’s been a bit of a scramble to figure out how to move forward from that. As there are no close enough ‘bridge’ facilities that are a good match for his needs, desires, and Medicaid financing, he has returned to State College for the time being! He will initially be staying with a friend until we can make his home safe and make additional arrangements for living assistance with Home Instead. We will be coordinating a combination of inpatient and mobile local physical and speech/cognition therapy options until NTC opens. We hope to post a photo once he has had the opportunity to make himself presentable.