MUSIC GOT ME HERE

I grew up in a family of musicians. My mother was a music teacher. Yet, I’d never heard of music therapy. As a longtime documentary filmmaker, I’m also always on the lookout for new and unusual stories – especially ones that I believe can make a difference. So, when I first met Tom Sweitzer, a music therapist, I was intrigued. He introduced me to some of his students: Amy, a young woman with cerebral palsy who spent 8 months training her finger to play “Happy Birthday” on the piano. I met Brendan and Cameron, two young brothers, both born blind, who used music to describe their world. And Jack, who had difficulty communicating, but could write and perform a song about his autism. And then I met Forrest, who at age 18, had suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury after a freak snowboard accident in which he wasn’t wearing his helmet. By all accounts, Forrest had been a superstar -- charming, handsome, athletic, with a fantastic sense of humor. Everyone loved Forrest. The accident happened in December of his senior year. While his friends were busy filling out college applications, he was tenuously clinging to life, unable to speak or move. After many months of music therapy, Forrest finally said, or rather sang, his first two words in nearly two years. He still had a very long way to go to regain his ability to communicate. I thought if music can really help Forrest get his voice and life back, then this is something quite extraordinary and needs to be documented. For the next five years, my cameraman, Neil Barrett, and I became “flies on the wall”, capturing moments large and small, the triumphs and setbacks, the darkness and despair, the slightest glimmers of hope, and the joy and gratitude that came with every step forward. To see Forrest today is really quite miraculous. Forrest’s journey is about music and healing, but it’s also about faith and family, resilience, and overcoming life’s greatest challenges.