Former brain injury patient donates therapy scholarships for others at TIRR Memorial Hermann
Former tennis star overcomes traumatic brain injury after told he wouldn't walk, talk again
Kel Mabatah, 36, was attacked and beaten during a visit to see family in Nigeria but after four brain surgeries and years of intense therapy with teammates at Memorial Hermann after doctors initially told him he may never walk or talk again.
HOUSTON - A former patient who had a miraculous recovery is now helping others rehabilitate with a generous donation.
Kel Mabatah, who FOX 26 first spoke to back in November 2022, was attacked and beaten during a visit to see family in Nigeria in 2014.
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However, after four brain surgeries and years of intense therapy with teammates at Memorial Hermann. This, after doctors initially told the former tennis star he may never walk or talk again.
He and his foundation, Kel Strong, according to Memorial Hermann, have donated $30,000 to help treat four patients receiving rehabilitation through TIRR, the hospital's research lab. Each patient got a $7,500 scholarship, which is enough to pay for about 15 therapy sessions.
(Photo courtesy of Memorial Hermann)
We're told this is the fourth year the Kel Strong Foundation has awarded scholarships to TIRR patients, totaling more than $88,000.
"There's no greater feeling [than this]… to know that I'm making a difference in people's lives that doesn't have the opportunity to get better," Matabah told Memorial Hermann. "If I can achieve that through a financial standpoint, helping them but also providing emotional support, that's the biggest goal for me - is providing that emotional support, as someone that has been in their shoes before."
To learn more about the Kel Strong Foundation, click here. You can also learn more about TIRR Memorial Hermann's brain injury rehabilitation program, visit their website.