How it all began…
Payne Sigman is a 2015 graduate of Bellbrook High School in Bellbrook, Ohio.  As a junior he was named to the Southwestern Buckeye League first team and Southwest All-District 2nd team in soccer. He also served as the soccer team captain for two years. In addition to soccer, Payne was the varsity football kicker and on the varsity basketball team. He was a member of the National Honor Society and was very active in Young Life.  

On January 19, 2014, Payne was in a serious single-car accident while on his way to church. He was taken to Miami Valley Hospital via Careflight. He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for 13 days. After spending 17 days in the trauma unit at Miami Valley Hospital, he was moved to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus for 8 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation.  At this point in his recovery, he was unable to talk, sit on his own, walk, or eat.  When he left Nationwide Children’s Hospital, he was speaking, walking with a walker, eating normally, and on his way to a miraculous recovery.

He is still doing daily exercises to get all his previous physical abilities back, however, Payne’s recovery is such a miracle that he was recognized by the Miami Valley Hospital Trauma Unit as one of their success stories of the year.   He was also the featured patient in Nationwide Children’s Hospital annual report. 

​Payne graduated Cum Laude from Trine University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology.  He then graduated from the University of Dayton earning his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health counseling and is employed as a mental health counselor. He got married on July 17, 2020 to Bridgett, his perfect match!

During Payne’s continued recovery, the number of people who have helped him was tremendous. With that in mind, the Play4Payne Foundation was established as a way to pay it forward.

For more information on Payne’s story, a daily journal of his recovery is posted at https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paynesigman​

Gallery of Payne’s story and photos from our events.

What we do…

  • Host social events for brain injury survivors and their families–SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE for more information
  • Host separate support groups for survivors and caregivers–SEE OUR EVENTS PAGE for more information.
  • Provide informational care backpacks at local hospitals and rehabilitation units.
  • Serve on the Brain Health Collective executive board and individual work group teams.
  • Advocate at state and local levels to acquire more funding and support for sudden brain injury survivors and their families.
  • Give hospital gift cards to families whose children will be at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for an extended stay in the rehabilitation unit.
  • Provide financial and other supportive assistance to families impacted by a sudden brain injury.
  • Give scholarships annually to a soccer and a football player at Bellbrook High School.
  • Provide Young Life camp scholarships each year to help students attend camp.