Man reunites with neurosurgeon after near-deadly brain injury

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A central Indiana man is reuniting with his neurosurgeon almost a year after suffering a nearly deadly brain injury.

Ryan Bardellini was in his senior year at Zionsville Community High School when he fell from a moving vehicle.

Bardellini suffered a fracture that split the middle of his skull, and his entire right side was paralyzed.​​​​​Within days, he entered into a coma.

Bardellini’s mother said she put a Disney movie on in front of him every night until he suddenly responded: “I was just starting to stand up, then Ryan reached up, stopped it, scrolled through the iPad and I started videotaping it. It was so amazing. He scrolled through and found a Bruce Willis movie and started that. I remember just laughing and thinking he’s probably sick to death of those Disney movies always playing every night.”

Bardellini’s personality has returned over the last several months.

He’s taking an English course at Butler University.

He said he plans to attend Purdue University and participate in its fencing program.