Cazoshay Marie on Surviving and Thriving with a Traumatic Brain Injury
Cazoshay Marie’s life changed in an instant after a traumatic brain injury, but she’s using her voice to advocate, educate and empower fellow survivors.
By
Lana Pine
| Published on June 5, 2025
2 min read
Before her traumatic brain injury, Cazoshay Marie led an active, fulfilling life as a wellness professional — teaching yoga, meditation and cooking classes. But her life changed in an instant when she was hit by a car traveling nearly 50 mph while she was crossing the street. The impact threw her over 100 feet, and although she survived thanks to a good Samaritan who rushed to help, she sustained multiple injuries — including a traumatic brain injury that continues to affect her daily life.
Cazoshay’s journey through recovery hasn’t just been physical — it has also been emotional and deeply personal. “I’m living with a chronic condition that impacts me every single day,” she explains. Cazoshay emphasizes that people often don’t understand the invisible nature of brain injury. Many assume that a brain injury is either minor or debilitating with no in-between, but, as she says, “If you’ve seen one brain injury, you’ve seen one brain injury.” Each person’s experience is unique, and many survivors, like her, appear fine on the outside but continue to face cognitive, physical and emotional challenges behind the scenes.
Now, she uses her voice to spread awareness, educate others and advocate for better support for survivors. She serves on the Brain Injury Association of America’s Advisory Council, leads a support group, and is an artist and writer — roles that require preparation and energy most people don’t see. “Even doing this interview took planning,” she shares. “I don’t know how I’ll feel afterward.”
For fellow survivors, her message is clear: Be gentle with yourself. “There’s no one way to heal from a brain injury. Just because your life looks different now doesn’t mean it can’t be meaningful.” She urges others to seek community support, consider counseling and access reliable resources like the Brain Injury Association of America.
This transcript was edited for clarity.
More on Traumatic Brain Injury
