In the News
Kids & All-Terrain Vehicles: Dangerous Mix
It was supposed to be fun. hanging out with his cousin on a sunny Texas afternoon in 2005, B. J. Smith, then 15, decided to go for a spin on his uncle's new all-terrain vehicle. Even though the boys had been told not to go near the 386-pound machine unsupervised, B.J., a handsome kid with a football player's build, wanted to see what the 350cc ATV could do. With nothing but open road in front of him, B.J., who had been riding motorcycles since he was 5, reached nearly 60mph. Then a dog ran out unexpectedly and clipped the front wheel. B.J.'s life was forever altered…
ATV Safety and Kids: Should They Ride?
With hopes and dreams of one day playing professional football, 15-year-old Bryan Smith worked hard and played hard so he could one day reach his goal. However, while staying with relatives in Houston to visit a school that would further strengthen his football skills, Bryan was in an ATV accident that completely altered his world for the rest of his life. His mother, Kim Smith, shares, “Bryan was going approximately 60 mph while riding a Yamaha Banshee, an ATV that is no longer in production.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting: ART ROCKS!
We meet BJ Smith of Lafayette, a young man who has had to work hard to live a productive, fulfilling life after suffering a traumatic brain injury in his teens. In the years since his accident, BJ found physical and psychological healing through painting. Now, he is showing others how art helps him not just survive but thrive. Plus: multi-media artist Andrea Kontras of Columbus, Ohio; sculptural painter, Gavin Jordan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and the story behind the Sidaway Bridge, a historic, pedestrian suspension bridge in Cleveland, Ohio.
Podcast - Jan Swift - Discover Lafayette
BJ Smith, and his mom, Kim Lanclos-Smith, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss how their world was forever changed when BJ suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of an ATV accident at the age of 15. BJ is now an artist, and has found joy painting with acrylics for the past five years. He has taken his trauma and converted it into the beauty and sanctity of life through his art. He loves to share his art. His mom, Kim, has become an advocate for the many challenges and financial needs that a family faces when caring for a loved one with a traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI.
20 Year Reunion - Restoration & Recovery - Memorial Hermann Medical Center
B.J. Smith was dead when he was brought into the Memorial Hermann Emergency Room 20 years ago. Last week, he returned to thank those who helped save his life.
Memorial Hermann
Twenty years ago, BJ Smith was gravely injured in an accident in Houston on an ATV. Doctors gave the then-15-year-old only a 10 percent chance of survival. He had four brain surgeries. A stroke. Spent over 3 weeks in a coma in ICU. He had to learn again to walk, talk and even feed himself. Today he is doing that and more. He has become an inspiration to other Brain Injury survivors – starting a non-profit with his mother to inspire others and share how art has been a critical piece of his recovery. In a special meet and greet last week BJ shared some of his art with the Memorial Hermann Neuro ICU and TIRR Memorial Hermann rehabilitation teams while expressing his gratitude for the life they helped him reclaim.
Interview with Mike Esnealt: Artist Legacy Series
Mike Esneault speaks with visual artist BJ Smith, and his mother, Kim Smith, about BJ's 20-year ongoing journey surviving a severe brain injury accident. They discuss the power of the arts as a healer and how BJ's passion for being a visual artist has had a profound impact on his positive development.
ABC 24
SUNSET, La. (KLFY)- An Acadiana man who suffered a catastrophic brain injury after an ATV accident is helping others through art.
“I’ve tried a lot of different things. a place to plug my energy. this seemed to work the best,” said 29-year-old BJ Smith. He painted hundreds of pieces of art.
It’s a craft he discovered after the incident. Smith was 15 when the crash happened. He wasn’t wearing a helmet when the teen was thrown from the vehicle.