Floyd Smith

Floyd Smith’s story begins with a truck rollover in 1980. Sitting in the middle seat — a spot his fellow passengers warned him about — the vehicle flipped seven times. Floyd suffered severe knee injuries and a head injury, but in the aftermath, his knees were largely ignored and the head injury went undiagnosed. 

Within two weeks, things worsened. Floyd developed a head clot and the early signs of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). When he sought help from the VA in Ann Arbor, they refused to test him. He developed a fear of heights and chronic back problems on top of the unresolved TBI. Therapists, psychiatrists, and neurologists cycled through his care without ever arriving at a clear answer. 

One of the most disorienting symptoms was memory disruption. Floyd forgot to pack for a trip to Wyoming to attend his father’s birthday. He forgot small details that had once been automatic. On the advice of someone who understood what was happening, he began writing everything down — appointments, routines, names — a habit that became essential to his daily functioning. 

Eventually, after years of navigating the system, Floyd was formally labeled with a Severe Cognitive Disorder, TBI, and PTSD. With help from the DAV (Disabled American Veterans), he pursued SSI and disability benefits. At one point, a judge intervened and ordered his disability recognized. He was ultimately awarded 70% disability — and eventually reached 100%.

Floyd also took care of his mother during this period — a responsibility he carried alongside his own ongoing health challenges. He describes losing his common sense as the one thing he feared most, and credits his habit of writing things down with keeping him grounded. He is now focused on the future: hoping to drive again, and continually surprised that he still remembers the names of nearly everyone who helped him along the way.