A local artist is sharing his story of living with a long-term concussion on the stage.
Greg Shimizu was training for a triathlon in 2012 when he was hit by a van near the legislature.
“The last thing I remember was just going down the hill at the [legislature],” Shimizu told CTV News, “and you wake up the next day and the world’s different, and you start another version of your life and yourself in the world of concussion.”
It’s been seven years, but Shimizu deals with concussion symptoms on a daily basis, including chronic headaches and a lack of sleep.
Shimizu is now telling his story with his partner, Twilla MacLeod, through “A Man Draws a Bird.” The performance, written by MacLeod, includes acting and what they do as the Booming Tree: taiko drumming.
“I said to Twilla the one thing I’m not going to let it take away from us is our taiko, our connection to our drumming.”
Shimizu hopes his story will help others and bring awareness to head injuries.
“It’s more a play about I guess our lives and our journey through it. It’s that journey through the adversity of what a bad concussion will give you, and what people don’t know about concussion.”
“A Man Draws a Bird” will play at the Backstage Threat from May 2 until May 11. For ticket information, click here.
