Trapped in the basement of a downtown building while an electrical fire raged around him, Frank Johnson thought he was going to die. He miraculously survived the fire, but the traumatic brain injury he suffered as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning changed his life forever.
That was 31 years ago. Today, Johnson, an Irondequoit resident, motivational speaker, and host of his own blog talk radio show, has just published a motivational book titled, “From Flawed to Fantastic."
“If anyone in the world is qualified to write a motivational book, it’s Frank,” said his editor, Michelle Camacho. “He is incredibly inspiring.”
Johnson’s voice was damaged as a result of the accident, he lost his fine motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk, talk and perform basic tasks. In the following months he also suffered the loss of his job as a chemical engineer at Eastman Kodak and the collapse of his marriage.
His brain injury made the simplest tasks seem impossible.
“I couldn’t manage the basics of life like making a grocery list and buying food and doing my laundry.” He recalls. “I need to be reminded of everything now.”
After a decade of barely scraping by, Johnson learned about resources that were available to victims of traumatic brain injuries and he began receiving services that greatly improved his quality of life and his outlook. A cash settlement he received from the owner of the building has enabled him to live comfortably in his St. Paul Blvd. home and he is determined to set an example for others who are, as he phrases it, “differently-abled.”
“People with TBI (traumatic brain injury) suffer enormous frustrations," he said. "I don’t look or feel different than I did before my accident, but there are so many things that I can’t do now.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is Johnson’s endless energy and determination to help others.
“I have been learning to overcome challenges for over 30 years,” he says “A lot of things about me are different but my intellect is still there, my ideas are still there and my passion to help people is still there.”
In 2002 Johnson self published a comic book, "The Young Explorers," aimed at helping children discover their hidden talents. “It’s about dealing with adversity and solving problems,” he said. “For instance, one of the characters speaks a language no one else can understand, so he has to overcome that obstacle.”
Trapped in the basement of a downtown building while an electrical fire raged around him, Frank Johnson thought he was going to die. He miraculously survived the fire, but the traumatic brain injury he suffered as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning changed his life forever.
That was 31 years ago. Today, Johnson, an Irondequoit resident, motivational speaker, and host of his own blog talk radio show, has just published a motivational book titled, “From Flawed to Fantastic."
“If anyone in the world is qualified to write a motivational book, it’s Frank,” said his editor, Michelle Camacho. “He is incredibly inspiring.”
Johnson’s voice was damaged as a result of the accident, he lost his fine motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk, talk and perform basic tasks. In the following months he also suffered the loss of his job as a chemical engineer at Eastman Kodak and the collapse of his marriage.
His brain injury made the simplest tasks seem impossible.
“I couldn’t manage the basics of life like making a grocery list and buying food and doing my laundry.” He recalls. “I need to be reminded of everything now.”
After a decade of barely scraping by, Johnson learned about resources that were available to victims of traumatic brain injuries and he began receiving services that greatly improved his quality of life and his outlook. A cash settlement he received from the owner of the building has enabled him to live comfortably in his St. Paul Blvd. home and he is determined to set an example for others who are, as he phrases it, “differently-abled.”
“People with TBI (traumatic brain injury) suffer enormous frustrations," he said. "I don’t look or feel different than I did before my accident, but there are so many things that I can’t do now.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is Johnson’s endless energy and determination to help others.
“I have been learning to overcome challenges for over 30 years,” he says “A lot of things about me are different but my intellect is still there, my ideas are still there and my passion to help people is still there.”
In 2002 Johnson self published a comic book, "The Young Explorers," aimed at helping children discover their hidden talents. “It’s about dealing with adversity and solving problems,” he said. “For instance, one of the characters speaks a language no one else can understand, so he has to overcome that obstacle.”
Johnson has also been recruited as a motivational speaker, traveling to Dallas, Texas to deliver the keynote address at a convention on fire prevention and home fire safety. His topic: The effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“I am uniquely qualified on that subject” he laughs.
Johnson’s book, "From Flawed to Fantastic," is subtitled, “How I Turned My Disability Into An Asset." In it, Johnson advises readers to set clear and attainable goals. He includes chapters on dealing with depression and ways to convert problems and challenges into opportunities.
“I am not cursed I’m blessed,” he says. “I believe everything happens for a reason and everyone needs inspiration – not just people with brain injuries.”
The self-published book is available at Johnson’s website: www.IamFantasticFrank.com. Johnson encourages readers to email him at Frank@IamFantasticFrank.com
