One of the first things you notice about Kevin Kolsto is his fun hair color. He stated that he likes to change the color monthly and has his colors picked out for the rest of the year. “Except for April. I’m getting another tattoo instead.”
Kevin has a Brain Injury and has lived with Systems since 2007. Prior to that, Kevin lived with his family in the Amana, Iowa area.
He has known two of his housemates that are brothers since he was nine years old when their dad coached him on a Special Olympics team. When the family found out Kevin was looking for a place to go, they recommended he move into the home with their sons. He has lived with them ever since.
Kevin currently works part-time assisting HR with interviewing perspective staff, shredding documents and entering paperwork. At home, he needs assistance with doing daily living tasks such as cooking, cleaning, bathing and meal prep. He also lives with generalized anxiety disorder and relies on his staff to help with emotional regulation at times. He stated that while he enjoys his job, he has anxiety about meeting new people and doesn’t like huge crowds. Despite his anxiety, Kevin’s co-worker stated that Kevin is very good at his job. He is honest about a potential staff and picks up on things that are easily missed by others.
Kevin really enjoys pizza and going to movies. He would like people to know that he is a nice guy. It is perfectly acceptable to come up to him and ask him questions but please don’t stare when he is out enjoying his life.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in the United States. Each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI. As a consequence of these injuries, 80,000 to 90,000 people experience the onset of long-term disability. To learn more visit the Brain Injury Awareness website at https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/brain-injury-awareness.
