Brain injury survivor hopes to turn DJ passion into new career after life-changing collision

A man who was forced to give up his job after suffering life-changing injury when he was hit by a car is now looking to achieve his dream of getting back into employment after making strong progress in his rehabilitation. 

Anatoli Turcanu was walking home from work in Moulton Park, Northampton, when he was hit by a car on a road that had been closed to traffic due to flooding.

He suffered a catalogue of serious injuries, including a brain injury, and has been undergoing extensive rehabilitation since the collision in September 2024 as he fights to rebuild his life.

Medics have hailed his “remarkable recovery” and commitment to his rehabilitation over the past two years, with Anatoli’s main goal being to resume his job at a food packaging company.

He returned seven months after leaving the hospital.

However, due to symptoms including crippling fatigue caused by his brain injury and PTSD, Anatoli has recently been forced to leave his role as a general assistant, despite many attempts to revise his working patterns and find alternative positions for him over the months since he returned.

He admits to finding it “devastating” that he cannot continue working there.

However, with him continuing to engage in rehabilitation and making ongoing progress, Anatoli is determined to return to employment as soon as he can.

Prior to his injury, he would DJ as a hobby in his spare time – something he now hopes can be a part-time role for him going forward.

“Before I was injured, I would work so many hours, I’d always wanted to do overtime and really enjoyed my job,” says Anatoli.

“I wanted to get back to work straight away and couldn’t understand why I couldn’t work like I did before – this was really frustrating and I did struggle.

“It was a dark time, I didn’t understand my condition so I didn’t know why I couldn’t get back to normal,”

“I really want to be able to work.

“My rehabilitation has helped me both physically and psychologically, and I now understand that it’s not possible just to pick up your life after such a serious brain injury.

“Before my injury, I used to DJ as my hobby, but now I want to do that as my job. Life will be different but can still be positive.”

After Anatoli was hit by a car on Boughton Lane in Moulton, as he walked home after work shortly after 5pm, his life would change forever.

With no memory of what happened to him, investigations revealed that a car had struck him on a road that was closed to traffic, and driving at 34mph in a 30mph zone.

Anatoli landed in the carriageway approximately 10 meters beyond the point of impact.

He was taken by Air Ambulance to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, where he underwent numerous operations on his right arm and legs, having suffered extensive fractures.

He was transferred to the Central England Rehabilitation Unit several weeks later to support his recovery and received specialist brain injury support.

“When I got home, I wanted to get back to my normal life and work, even though I was encouraged not to rush – but once I went back to work, even for four hours a day with breaks each hour, it was still too much,” recalls Anatoli.

“I didn’t want any help, and I wanted to do it on my own. I became angry with this, I was trying to work in the same way and it was not working.

“I also began to experience PTSD episodes. This happened both when I was at home and when I was at work. I did not understand why I was having these thoughts.

“I found it very difficult to explain, unless you have been in a similar situation I am not sure you really can.”

With the support of Tracey Benson, head of serious injury (South) at Slater and Gordon, Anatoli was able to receive rehabilitation from an array of specialist therapists, with a case manager also being appointed to oversee his progress.

“I did not know anything about brain injury, but Tracey did, and she realised I was struggling. She saw the clear picture and got me the rehabilitation I needed,” he says.

“Brain injury is hidden, and it is difficult to explain to people why you are struggling when you may look like you have recovered physically. That is why it is so important to work with experts who understand.

“I had a multi-disciplinary team of experts who helped me with my recovery and I now feel in a place where I would like to try and move forward in my life, with being able to work again being very important to me.”

Anatoli, who has recently moved into a new home in Corby, is now looking to gain some qualifications in DJing, building on the experience he gained prior to his injury.

“I already have experience and this is something I can do for myself,” says Anatoli.

“When you are looking for work with an employer, it is difficult to try and explain about brain injury and fatigue – but with being a DJ, I can work the hours I can and build a new career.”

“I am trying to live a new life – at first when I returned to my job, I was really motivated but lost that because I wasn’t ready to return and couldn’t do it.

“Now, I have come to understand my injury and why fatigue affects me so much, which means I can look to the future with much more confidence.”

Tracey Benson, who leads a team of specialists at Slater and Gordon who support survivors after life-changing injury, says: “Anatoli is a very hardworking man who did everything he possibly could to return to his job – no-one could have given more, but life after brain injury is very different, and that can be very hard to accept.

“Having worked with Anatoli to allow him to understand his injury, putting the rehabilitation in place to enable him to achieve the best possible recovery, he has now reached a point where he feels confident in his future.

“A return to work is his priority, and being able to convert a longstanding hobby into a new career is something he can really thrive in, while balancing that with his wellbeing.

“He has worked so hard in rebuilding his life and we wish him all the very best as he continues that process.”

Slater and Gordon is currently running a new integrated campaign called ‘Life Continues, Differently’, showcasing the experiences of people who have adapted to life following serious injury and raising awareness of the vital role early legal and rehabilitation support can play in improving long-term recovery and quality of life.

To find out more about the campaign and to access real client stories, expert commentary, and practical resources, visit the dedicated online hub here.