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How a group home for seniors became a safe haven for healing

Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode Paradise Lost and Found

Following a devastating accident, a 22-year-old Ramona Pierson spent 18 months in a coma. She awoke unsure if she'd ever recover. But she did, in an unexpected safe haven — a group home for seniors.

About Ramona Pierson

Ramona Pierson has founded multiple tech companies in the education space, and she works to develop artificial intelligence solutions across eCommerce, business, and education. Her career in tech has also included recent senior positions at Meta and Amazon.

She started her career in the Marine Corps. It was during that time that, while on a run, she was hit by a drunk driver. She was in a coma for eighteen months, and when she awoke she was unable to see or talk. After more than 50 surgeries and a rehabilitation process in a senior citizens' home, she slowly rebuilt her life.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Harsha Nahata and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Harsha Nahata
Harsha Nahata (she/her) is a producer for TED Radio Hour. She is drawn to storytelling as a way to explore ideas about identity and question dominant narratives.
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
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