TBI One Love Survivor Evan Folan

Hey y’all — my name is Evan Folan, I am from Texas and my life drastically changed on July 23, 2019.

At the time, I was working as a sales rep for a Fortune 500 company in Los Angeles. Most of my days were spent on the road, going from client to client. But one day, I never made it back to the office. While driving to an appointment, a semi-truck lost its rear wheel. Yup — it fell off the axle and jumped the median. I was heading eastbound; the truck was heading westbound. Reports say I was driving around 65 mph. The wheel, coming from the opposite side of the highway, was traveling at about 40 mph. It weighed over 200 pounds — roughly the same as a refrigerator. Experts say the impact speed was 106 mph. That’s like dropping a refrigerator from a 30-story building and having it land on your car.

First responders said they thought I’d been decapitated. The roof of the car had pinned my head behind the driver’s seat. I broke my neck. Fractured my skull. Suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. I was in a coma for two days. But when I woke up — the real challenges began. In the past six years, I’ve been through 19 different rehab programs: physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, educational therapy.

Before the accident, I lived a very physical lifestyle. I was a D1 athlete in college. I loved surfing, running, and just being active. Before working in sales, I was a news anchor and reporter for ABC. Now, that version of me — the one with a corporate career and physical freedom — is gone.

Today, I live with daily migraines, short-term memory loss, PTSD, nerve damage, and tremors. I’m no longer able to hold a full-time job. Even reading for too long triggers more head pain. But I’m still here. Still trying. And I’ve channeled that energy into building something that matters.

I recently started a company called Toro & Tides — a brand that supports people living with brain injuries. The mission is simple: to create a community where survivors can share their stories and connect with others who truly understand what this life feels like. Ten percent of all profits go toward directly supporting someone living with a brain injury.

You can find us on all social platforms at @toroandtides

Thank you TBI One Love for all you do.