Brain Injury Awareness Month: Josh Goblowsky’s Story of Resilience
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and it’s an important time to talk about something that matters deeply to our community at American Academies of Martial Arts. While martial arts is often associated with punches and kicks, one of the most important things we teach students is how to protect themselves, especially their heads and brains. During Brain Injury Awareness Month, we also take time to share the story of someone very special in our school community: Josh Goblowsky.
A Life-Changing Accident
When Josh was just three years old, he was involved in a devastating car accident. The car he was riding in was struck by not one, but two semi trucks.
The impact crushed Josh between the back seat and the front seat, causing injuries to every part of his brain. Doctors initially weren’t sure he would survive the first 24 hours.
After that first critical day passed, the outlook was still uncertain. If Josh survived, doctors warned that he might never walk or talk again.
Josh has been proving those predictions wrong ever since.
Brain injuries can have lifelong effects, and Brain Injury Awareness Month helps remind us that these injuries can happen suddenly and change lives forever.
The Long Road of Recovery
Josh’s injuries affected nearly every aspect of his development.
He continues to struggle with balance and short-term memory. Learning new things can take extra time and effort. Although he was born right-handed, Josh now uses his left hand because he has better control on that side of his body.
After the accident, Josh had to relearn many basic functions that most children develop naturally like swallowing, walking, speaking, and coordinating his movements.
He has also watched many of his childhood friends grow up and move forward in ways that are sometimes harder for him.
During Brain Injury Awareness Month, stories like Josh’s remind us that traumatic brain injuries are not just medical events. They are life-changing experiences that affect individuals and families for years to come.
Turning His Story Into Something Positive
Several years ago, Josh decided to share his experiences by writing a book called Josh’s World, which describes the differences he experiences in his everyday life.
The following year, he wrote a second book called Josh’s Friends.
Josh didn’t write these books just to tell his story. He wrote them to help other kids.
Josh donates 100% of the proceeds from his books to the Sunshine Foundation, a wish-granting organization that once helped him during his own childhood.
When Josh was nine years old, the Sunshine Foundation funded a trip for him to visit Disney World. That experience meant so much to him that he decided he wanted to help other children experience something similar.
When I first met Josh, he had already sold enough books to fully fund wishes for two other children.
One of those children was local, so Josh invited him and his family to our Kung Fu school to personally present the wish.
It was an incredible moment that everyone present still remembers. You can read some of the news coverage about it by clicking here.
That’s one of the reasons Brain Injury Awareness Month is so meaningful for our school. It reminds us that even after devastating events, people can still find ways to help others.
Martial Arts and Brain Injury Awareness
Josh is also part of our martial arts community.
Students who train at our Kung Fu school in Bellevue quickly learn that martial arts is about much more than physical techniques. It’s about developing discipline, patience, and resilience.
One of the most important skills we teach is how to fall safely.
Through a technique called a break fall, students learn how to protect their heads and distribute impact safely if they fall. These skills can be useful in everyday situations such as sports, bike rides, playground activity, or simple accidents.
During Brain Injury Awareness Month, we often talk about how important it is to protect the brain and understand the risks associated with head injuries.
Martial arts training helps students develop awareness of their bodies and teaches them practical safety skills that can reduce the risk of serious injury.
Why Brain Injury Awareness Month Matters for Families
Brain Injury Awareness Month is a time to educate families about how traumatic brain injuries happen and how they can sometimes be prevented. Sports injuries, bicycle accidents, and falls are some of the most common causes. Learning awareness and safety skills can help reduce the risk and protect children and adults alike.
Strength, Resilience, and the Martial Arts Mindset
Martial arts training teaches resilience, the ability to keep moving forward even when things are difficult.
For Josh, resilience has been part of his life since the day of his accident.
Despite the challenges he faces, he continues to train, write books, and support other children through his fundraising efforts.
His mindset reflects a simple but powerful question he often asks himself:
“What can I do about it now?”
During Brain Injury Awareness Month, that mindset reminds us that resilience is not about ignoring hardship. It’s about focusing on what we can do today to make things better.
How You Can Support Josh This Month
Throughout Brain Injury Awareness Month, we are sharing Josh’s story and inviting our community to help him continue raising money for the Sunshine Foundation.
Josh loves martial arts, and he loves helping others. So this month we’ve created a special opportunity for people to support his mission.
When you purchase one of Josh’s books, we’ll give you a chance to experience Kung Fu for yourself.
Buy one book → receive one Kung Fu lesson.
Buy two books → receive two Kung Fu lessons.
During your lesson, you’ll learn some basic martial arts techniques like the jab and cross. But you’ll also learn something just as important, how to fall safely and protect your head.
These are skills that can help prevent serious injuries and build confidence for both kids and adults.
If you’d like to participate, simply purchase one of Josh’s books and send us a message with a screenshot of your Amazon receipt. You can message us through Facebook or by sending us an email at aa***********@***il.com.
We’ll send you the details to schedule your lesson.
Brain Injury Awareness Month in Bellevue, Nebraska
At American Academies of Martial Arts in Bellevue, Nebraska, Brain Injury Awareness Month is a chance for our community to talk about safety, resilience, and the importance of protecting the brain. Through martial arts training, students learn practical skills like break falls, balance, and awareness that can help reduce the risk of injury while building confidence and discipline.
A Story That Continues to Inspire
Josh’s story reminds us that strength is not defined by physical ability or circumstances. It is defined by perseverance, kindness, and the willingness to keep moving forward.
During Brain Injury Awareness Month, we invite you to join us in supporting Josh’s mission to help other children experience joy through the Sunshine Foundation.
Together, we can raise awareness, share important safety lessons, and celebrate the resilience of people like Josh who continue to inspire everyone around them.
American Academies of Martial Arts is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and serves families throughout Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, and the Omaha metro.