After a Devasting Brain Injury, He Found a New Purpose: Helping Others Heal

Kel Mabatah (Photo: TIRR Memorial Hermann snapshot) When life takes unexpected, tragic turns, some individuals find resilience and purpose through the pain. Kel Mabatah is one such individual, who has not only survived a personal tragedy but turned his experience into a foundation to help others.  From Professional Athlete to Brain Injury Survivor Mabatah’s life began with the dream of becoming a professional tennis player. Growing up in Texas, he excelled in the sport, eventually earning a scholarship to Texas Christian University (TCU). After multiple elbow surgeries, however, Mabatah had to retire from tennis and shift his focus to managing his family’s business in Nigeria. “I worked in Nigeria for about three or four years, going back and forth. Then, on December 3, 2014, something happened that changed everything,” Mabatah recalls. In December 2014, Mabatah faced a traumatic experience that would alter his life forever. While he was home one evening, armed assailants invaded his property, hitting him in the head with the butt of a rifle, stabbing him in the stomach and leaving him for dead “That night, after I finished some work, I went back to my compound to call my mom. A few minutes after eating, I...