'It’s not something that people see': Sacramento man on how traumatic brain injury changed his life

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.

RELEASE ITS RESULTS NEXT MONTH. ANDREA: NOW TO A SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT IN HONOR OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WEEK. KCRA’S ER HINEFT INTRODUCES US TO A SACRAMENTO MAN WHOSE LIFE WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NOW HE’S FOCUSED ON HIS FUTEUR ONE CLICK AT A TE.IM >> OH TH TISHING IS BEAT UP, THIS IS MY OLD RELIABLE IT’S A NI KON D 7200. REPORTER: A CLICK AT A TIME >> IT HELPS ME SINGLE IN ON ONE THING, AND A FOCUS AND TAKE A SHOT. REPORTER: ANDREW PENDERY HAS CALLED NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HOME, HIS ENTIRE LIFE. >> YEAH CALIFORNIA’S ALWAYS BEEN HOME, YEAH. REPORTER: RIGHT NOW, ANDREW LIVES HERE. AT THIS SEMI PERMANENT CITY RUN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ON THE SACRENAMTO RIV.ER BUT LIVING OUTSIDE FOR ANDWRE WASN’T ALWAYS THE CASE. FOR YEARS ANDREW WAS A STATE WORKER, AWARDED FOR HIS EXCELLENCE ON LOCAL WATERWAYS. BUT IN 2016 EVERYTHING CHANGED. >>Y MWHOLE LIFE CHANGED, IT CHANGED. REPORTER: ANDREW SAYS HE WAS RIDING ON AN ELECTRIC SKATEBOARD. >> I HIT ONE OF THOSE TR,EE BALLS THAT FALL OUT OF THE TREE AT ABOUT 18 MILES AN HOUR, AND WAS A HUMAN JAVELIN FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. WHERE I IMPACTED WAS RIGHT HERE. BASICALLY IT PUSH DOWN OVER YMA -- MYYE W EHEN I IMPACTED. I THOUGHT I HAD GONE BLIND. REPORTER: HE WAS TOLD BYIS H DOCTORS HE HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. >> IT’S AN INTERNAL INJURYND A IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SEE. REPORTER: HIS JOB SLIPPED OMFR HIS FINGERTIPS, AND WITHOUT MONEY SO DID HIS APARTMENT AND SOON HE FOUND HIMSELF LINGVI OUTSIDE. LIVING ACROSS SACRAMENTO IN DIFFERENT SPOTS WHICH ANDREW CALLS DANGEROUS, HE FINALLY LANDED HERE HE CALLS IT HIS BEACH FRONT PROPERTY. >> MY DOCTOR SAID ABTOU FOCUSING, FOCUS, I GREW UP WITH A CAMERA IN MY HAND. REPORTER: THERAPEUTICALLY KEEPING HIS MIND SHARP, WORKING ON HIMSELF ONE DAY AT A TIME, THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY. >> IT’S HARD TO MAKE SOMEBODY ON THE OUTSIDE UNDERSTAND EVEN WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH WHEN YOU LOOK NORMAL. REPORTER: HE SAYS HIS CURRENT LIFE SERVES AS A REMINDER HOFOW ANYONE’S PATH COULD CHANGE IN THE MATTER OF MOMES.NT >> IT’S BECOMING A NEW PERSON WHEN YOU REALLY DON’T WANT TO BECOME A NEW PERSON IT'S’NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT NEW PERSON IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE. REPORTER: IN SACRAMENTERINO HEFT KCRA 3 NEWS ANDREA: ANDREW TELL US HE SHA THE HOPE OF ONE DAY GETTING BACK TO WORKING IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD. AND AS OF RIGHT NOW HE’S ON

'It’s not something that people see': Sacramento man on how traumatic brain injury changed his life

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city-provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.Pendrey shared his current life circumstance with KCRA 3 in honor of Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Week, which runs from May 11 to 17.According to the Northern California native, Pendrey worked for the state, aiding in the creation and engineering of waterways.In 2016, he was in an accident when the electric skateboard he was riding hit debris on the road.“I hit one of those tree balls that fall out of the tree at about 18 miles an hour, and was a human javelin flying through the air,” said Pendrey pointing to a scar above his left eye.“This is where I impacted was right here and basically it push down over my eye when I impacted, I thought I had gone blind,” Pendrey said.Pendrey said after his accident his doctors said he had a traumatic brain injury.“It’s an internal injury and it’s not something that people see it’s not outward, unless your gourd up and you have a concussion, you have a huge scar or whatnot, my scars have thankfully healed up over my eye and you can’t tell,” Pendrey said.Soon Pendrey’s job slipped through his fingertips and with no income he lost his apartment. Soon after he began living on the street out of necessity.Now in a Safe Ground along the Sacramento River, Pendrey works on himself and his mental dexterity through the art of photography.“It helps me single in on one thing, and a focus and take a shot,” Pendrey said.Pendrey said his current life serves as a reminder of how anyone’s path could change in a matter of moments.“It’s becoming a new person when you really don’t want to become a new person. It’s not knowing what that new person is eventually going to,” Pendrey said.According to the Brain Injury Association of America, more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability.Traumatic brain injuries affect one in every 60 people, according to the Brain Injury Association of America.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city-provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.

Pendrey shared his current life circumstance with KCRA 3 in honor of Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Week, which runs from May 11 to 17.

According to the Northern California native, Pendrey worked for the state, aiding in the creation and engineering of waterways.

In 2016, he was in an accident when the electric skateboard he was riding hit debris on the road.

“I hit one of those tree balls that fall out of the tree at about 18 miles an hour, and was a human javelin flying through the air,” said Pendrey pointing to a scar above his left eye.

“This is where I impacted was right here and basically it push down over my eye when I impacted, I thought I had gone blind,” Pendrey said.

Pendrey said after his accident his doctors said he had a traumatic brain injury.

“It’s an internal injury and it’s not something that people see it’s not outward, unless your gourd up and you have a concussion, you have a huge scar or whatnot, my scars have thankfully healed up over my eye and you can’t tell,” Pendrey said.

Soon Pendrey’s job slipped through his fingertips and with no income he lost his apartment. Soon after he began living on the street out of necessity.

Now in a Safe Ground along the Sacramento River, Pendrey works on himself and his mental dexterity through the art of photography.

“It helps me single in on one thing, and a focus and take a shot,” Pendrey said.

Pendrey said his current life serves as a reminder of how anyone’s path could change in a matter of moments.

“It’s becoming a new person when you really don’t want to become a new person. It’s not knowing what that new person is eventually going to,” Pendrey said.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability.

Traumatic brain injuries affect one in every 60 people, according to the Brain Injury Association of America.

'It’s not something that people see': Sacramento man on how traumatic brain injury changed his life

Once a state worker, now Andrew Pendrey lives in a city provided semi-permanent homeless encampment.

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