Art exhibit for brain injury awareness month

WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and Gaylord Hospital is hosting a special art exhibit to honor those affected by traumatic brain injuries.

The exhibit is called "Whacked" and features portraits of several notable people who suffered brain injuries.

The exhibit features twelve portraits including people like Gabby Giffords, George Clooney and Trisha Meili.

Meili is best known as the jogger who was brutally raped in Central Park in 1989.

Meili spent five months at Gaylord as part of her recovery.

"The healing for me is from both as a rape survivor and a brain injury survivor and the part that I love about that is the survivor part. And my message is to let people know that with the sense of hope possibility emerges. No matter what the situation," said Meili.

The artist Eliette Markhbein suffered a head injury herself after being hit by a car in 2004.

Markhbein said she wasn't an artist prior to the accident but wanted to find a way to reinvent herself.

The exhibit is open to the public and will run through April 4.