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Krempels Center

The Krempels center is dedicated to offering a variety of assistance and support to people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. Sandra Fortant sustained traumatic brain injuries from a car accident in 2005, and she had to start life over again. A year later she discovered the Krempels Center.

Sandra: When I went there I just felt like I was home, these people understood me and that helped. Before my accident I was a full time bank teller, mother of four, in a brand new home helping her husband with his business, and I just could do anything and everything. I loved to help people. After my accident I could no longer do those things, couldn’t even take care of myself. So I felt challenged with why am I here, what am I going to do in this life that’s now mine.

There’s a group for talking about your feelings and your emotions, and letting you know that you can get through this, and you talk with other members to how they handled it. There are also groups for exercising. There are groups that get together to go over technology. One of the groups is the cooking group. You all come together and you make this great meal or dessert, and it’s just like, “Wow I did this? I was part of this?” and it’s just such an accomplishment, and you forget all those things that you thought you couldn’t do.

One important part of Krempels is I’ve been able to have my children come with me and be part of the groups. My children have seen my abilities as opposed to my disabilities. They can see that Mom can still help others - Mom can still make people laugh. She may not walk as quickly as she did, she may not be able to carry the things that she once could carry, but she can still do things that maybe someone else can’t.

Krempels Center

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