Cristian Allen was 19-years-old when he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a crash last year.<\/p>\n
He was taken to Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was treated by the hospital\u2019s trauma team.<\/p>\n
One of the doctors who cared for him, Dr. Joseph Ibrahim, had a special connection to Allen before the crash. Orlando Health said Ibrahim was Allen\u2019s assistant baseball coach when Allen was a child.<\/p>\n
After the crash, Allen was diagnosed with a severe brain injury that left him in a coma-like state.<\/p>\n
He later received care at the Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute, which Orlando Health said is the only institute in Central Florida with a specialized disorder of consciousness program.<\/p>\n
Allen\u2019s rehabilitation team worked with him for more than two months to help \u201cwake up\u201d his brain and restore function.<\/p>\n
Now, nearly one year after the crash, Allen is back home and preparing to share his recovery story.<\/p>\n
Allen is expected to reunite Wednesday with Ibrahim and Uzair Hammad, a neurological physical therapist who was part of his care team.<\/p>\n
Allen\u2019s mother, Kimen Allen, is also expected to speak about her son\u2019s recovery.<\/p>\n
May is also National Trauma Awareness Month<\/a>.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here<\/a> to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.<\/p>\n