It was a sunny bank holiday weekend in May last year and life couldn’t have been better for Grant Taylor.
On a work night out in Aberdeen, the 29-year-old dad from Ellon was in good spirits as he excitedly chatted to colleagues about the party he and his wife Anna were hosting the following day to mark the coronation of King Charles.
But just a few hours later, Grant’s life was turned upside down forever.
While standing waiting for a taxi home on Union Street, he suffered an unprovoked attack which left him with a fractured skull and a subarachnoid haemorrhage, an uncommon type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain.
‘I’ll never go back to normal’… Grant has suffered personality changes from brain injury
The ordeal left him with life-changing side effects, and Grant, with the support of his ‘amazing’ wife Anna, has shared his remarkable story in a bid to raise awareness of acquired brain injuries (ABI) and to give hope to anyone else who is going through a similar trauma.
“My neuropsychologist told me that I’ll never go back to normal,” says Grant, who has suffered from personality changes as a result of his brain injury.
“This is going to be the new normal.
“There was a point when I didn’t want to think about it again and move on.
“But I want to raise awareness to help other people who are going through similar situations.”
‘Life before the attack was amazing’
Kind, caring and happy-go-lucky, life before the attack was ‘exciting’ for Grant, who had recently tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart Anna before being blessed with their beautiful baby daughter Josie.
“It was an amazing time as we moved into our new house in May 2021 before getting married the next month and then we had Josie in January 2022,” says Grant.
“I was also doing well in work, so it was an exciting time.”
But one night out changed everything…
It was a last-minute decision to attend a work night out on May 5 last year that would change the course of Grant’s life.
“My boss had a baby, so myself and my work colleagues went out in Aberdeen to wet the baby’s head,” says Grant.
“It was a really good night.
“I was planning to get a bus home a bit earlier.”
Back home, Anna was getting their house ready for a family party the next day to mark the King’s coronation.
“Grant wasn’t planning to go but at the last minute I said to him he should go as the weather was so nice,” says Anna.
“We were hosting a family party for the King’s coronation the next day so I encouraged him to get the bus home not too late.”
As it happens, Grant missed the bus and decided to share a taxi home with his work colleague who also lived in Ellon.
‘I don’t remember anything’…
But in a split second everything changed.
“All I remember is standing in the taxi rank and then waking up in A&E,” says Grant.
“I genuinely don’t remember anything – it’s a complete blank.
“But I was later told that I suffered from an unprovoked attack.
“It’s scary as I have no memory of it, but someone phoned for an ambulance but they said it was going to take an hour and a half, so I ended up sitting on the pavement in Union Street with blood over me and being sick.”
‘I remember waking up in A&E’
Thankfully the colleague that Grant was with managed to get help.
“My colleague’s friend picked me up in his car and took me to A&E,” says Grant.
“I remember waking up in A&E with my boss at the foot of my bed and falling back asleep.”
Meanwhile, back home, Anna was frantic with worry.
“Grant had called about 2am to say he was getting a taxi home,” says Anna.
“But his sentences weren’t making sense so I was confused as to what was going on.
“Then I didn’t hear anything from 2am to 6am.
“I was going out my mind because I couldn’t leave the house as I had Josie with me.”
Shocked by the extent of Grant’s injuries
Anna eventually received a call to say that Grant was in A&E.
“I received a phone call from Grant’s boss who said that Grant had suffered bit of an accident’,” says Anna.
“At this point I assumed it was a drunken accident so I was quite frustrated as we had family coming round for the coronation party.
“But then Grant’s dad phoned me and told me that Grant had fractured his skull which was a shock, so I dropped Josie at my mum’s and went straight to A&E.”
Grant suffered a fractured skull and a bleeding on the brain
When Anna saw Grant in the hospital bed she was taken aback.
“As soon as I saw Grant I could tell it wasn’t a normal drunken accident,” says Anna.
“He had a lot of grazing and bruising along his jaw.
“In fact, his lower jaw was so swollen it was sticking out.
“He also had blood coming out his ear.
“The doctors told us he had suffered from a fractured skull and a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which is like a bleed on the brain.
“All the emergency staff were saying these type of assaults are so common, which is quite shocking.”
‘The staff at ARI have been amazing’
After undergoing a CT scan and being given medication, Grant was discharged home where the long road to recovery began.
“I lost the hearing in my left ear,” says Grant.
“It came back after a few weeks but I’ve got really bad tinnitus which is like a ringing in my ear.
“So I’ve been referred to ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) department at the hospital.
“I also see a neuropsychologist called Dr Jackie Hamilton, who is amazing.
“In fact all the staff at the ARI have been amazing.”
Grant’s attacker was convicted of assault to severe injury and fined £640.
The brain injury also affected Grant’s personality
It wasn’t just physical injuries that Grant has suffered though, as his brain injury also impacted his personality.
“Grant was such a calm person, nothing fazed him, but he can be more irritable now,” says Anna.
“He’s also more reserved and quiet and he got anxiety, which is something he’d never had before.
“As well as that, he couldn’t concentrate or remember things.”
‘I couldn’t concentrate’…
Grant also recognised the change in his personality.
“Little things annoy me in everyday life, like the cat stepping on my feet,” says Grant.
“Also, I couldn’t concentrate, I couldn’t get going, my focus wasn’t there.
“I would have a good day and then all of a sudden I’m sat looking at a screen with no idea what I’m doing or where to start.
“I spoke to my neuropsychologist about it and she said my symptoms were textbook with a brain injury.”
Family and friends rallied round
As a result of his injury Grant struggled to sleep and wasn’t allowed to drive.
“Immediately after the attack Grant was sleeping for 21 hours a day,” says Anna.
It was a tough time for Anna, who wasn’t only caring for Grant but also looking after their little girl Josie while working four days a week.
“Our family and friends were absolutely amazing,” says Anna, who is an HR advisor.
“They were so supportive.”
Long road to recovery
Grant, who works as a construction co-ordinator, is now back working full-time.
“I did a phased return to work from June to December last year and I started full-time work again in January this year,” says Grant.
“I’ve had a few mental health therapy sessions through work.”
Seventeen months on and Grant is still undergoing rehabilitation treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).
“I’ve had two different types of help, one was focused on helping me to get back to working in front of a computer and support with problem-solving skills,” says Grant.
“The other type of support is neuropsychology, which is a lot more in-depth about feelings and how you’re thinking and how you think you’ll move on in life.
“They’ve all really helped and I’ve had heaps of general check-ups with the doctor.”
‘I take each day at a time’
Although Grant is still going through treatment, he finally feels like he is getting his life back on track.
“I feel like I’m in a better place,” says Grant.
“I still have difficult days where I’m tired and I have ringing in my ear and I have no focus.
“But I take each day at a time.
“I just want to enjoy life.”
During it all, Grant says Anna and Josie have been his guiding light.
“Anna and Josie have kept me going throughout it all,” says Grant.
“Anna has been amazing, I would’ve have got through as much without her.”
New perspective on life
To see the way Grant has dealt with such a horrendous ordeal makes Anna so proud.
“I’m really proud of him,” says Anna.
“Everything that has happened makes you realise that life can just change in an instant.
“I do think sometimes that he might’ve never woken up so it makes you realise that you have to prioritise the important stuff like your family.”
On a mission to help others with acquired brain injuries
Determined to raise awareness of acquired brain injuries, Grant ran the Alford 10k in July to raise money for the charity P.A.U.L For Brain Recovery.
“I spotted the charity on LinkedIn and I read that the guy who founded it had suffered something similar,” says Grant.
“The charity has got a website and it made me realise that there were other people who had gone through similar situations.
“So I wanted to give something back.
“The 10k itself was tough but I’m so glad I did it.”
To see Grant complete the race after everything he’s been through was a proud moment for Anna.
“It was emotional to see him cross the finish line,” says Grant.
“He got lots of cuddles from Josie.”
Although life will never return to normal, Grant and his family are now embracing every single day.
“Last year was so rubbish that we decided to go on a few holidays this year and just have a bit of fun,” says Grant.
For more information about the charity P.A.U.L For Brain Recovery, check out the website paulforbrainrecovery.co.uk
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