Winston-Salem State University senior makes recovery nearly a year after head-on collision

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A Winston-Salem University senior is proving anything is possible with the help of faith, friends and a sense of brotherhood.

Jaylen Brown, originally from Salisbury, is studying Exercise Science. On December 18, 2018, he was involved in a head-on collision leaving him seriously injured to the point where he couldn't walk.

"When the accident occurred, I blacked out on the scene and fainted. I mean everything went black and it was a period of time where I just kept hearing get up, get up, get echoing to me," Brown said.

But when you see him around campus today, you wouldn't be able to tell anything happened to him.

He was able to persevere through the pain for several months. In the spring of 2019, a video captured him making small steps trying to learn how to walk again. He had family, friends and his brothers of Omega Psi Phi by his side.

"We told him to be strong ...his family was very supportive...the frat was very supportive, but we knew he was going to progress through the whole thing. He also used to send us Bible scriptures to remind us to keep faith in him," said Dantrell Clark, Brown's Omega Psi Phi Line Brother.

The small steps he took earlier this year were only the beginning of what was to come.

Nearly a year after the accident, Brown participated in the WSSU Homecoming Step Show. He went from barely walking to stepping alongside his brothers.

He says the process of regaining his strength was a tough task. It was more about listening to his body and not pushing the limit.

"It has definitely been a great thing having brothers around me and helping me practice. They really understand my situation and motivated me to push myself to my limits but don't exceed my limits," Brown said.

Each step he took Friday night served as an example of just how far he's come.

"If I had to tell someone anything, I would definitely say love life, appreciate life and life is all about perspective and adjustments," Brown said.

His career plans include practicing in the field of Physical Therapy.

He plans to help others who've experienced physical ailments similar to what he's gone through after a serious car crash.
