What a Brain Injury Taught Dan MacQueen About Living

After a coma and two brain surgeries, Dan chose to fight every day for a life he actually wanted.

Author

Matt Gilhooly
October 01, 2025

At 28, Dan MacQueen was thriving – global travel, dream job, good life in London. Then, one morning, everything went black. Within days, he was in emergency brain surgery. What followed was coma, chaos, and a second chance he never saw coming.

Dan’s story reminds us that rebuilding isn't just about recovery, it's about choice. The choice to accept reality, to take one small step forward, to chase a different kind of life than the one you had planned. It’s not easy. But as Dan says, it's simple. And maybe that’s where the hope lives.

3 Things to Think About

  1. "Better than yesterday" doesn’t mean leaps and milestones. It means showing up again, even when you're exhausted.

  2. Your brain might resist acceptance, but real progress only starts when you stop fighting what is.

  3. Motivation has layers. Dan found his in proving others right, proving others wrong, and serving something bigger than himself.

2 Things to Ask Yourself

  • What’s one part of my life I’ve been resisting instead of accepting?

  • Where in my day can I aim small, miss small, and still move forward?

1 Thing to Try This Week

Pick one habit you’ve been avoiding. Do it for 10 minutes each day. Track your progress. Just 10 minutes. That’s it.

Dan’s journey hit me in the chest. His grit, honesty, and perspective shift left a mark – and I hope it meets you wherever you are. If it does, hit reply and let me know. I always love hearing what sticks.

Matt

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PS: During a long weekend trip in May, I created a short-form podcast, “It’s Okay If…” Each episode is under three minutes long and provides a permission slip to simply be human. I’d be honored if you subscribed to the show. New episodes are released every Wednesday at noon ET.