DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — It was a drizzly Sunday morning on June 11, when Captain David McBrayer finished up his shift at DeKalb County Fire.
Typically, McBrayer said he heads to Stone Mountain for a hike after his shift but decided not to on this day because it was a Sunday morning plus the weather wasn't great.
"I was like, 'You know what? I'm just going to go and go on to the house,'" McBrayer explained.
He was about 10 miles from his house driving along Centerville Rosebud Road approaching Haynes Circle SW in Gwinnett County.
"I remember turning down the road," McBrayer explained.
McBrayer said he has no memory of the crash. Gwinnett County Police said a driver approaching McBayer crossed the line and hit him head-on. The impact tossed his vehicle off the road, causing it to flip and hit a utility pole.
He was rushed to the hospital along with the other driver.
On Friday, McBrayer spoke to 11Alive from his hospital bed at Northside in Gwinnett County.
While still in a lot of pain, he managed to laugh a little as he was trying to get his mom, France McBrayer, to fix his hair for the interview. She's a nurse who has been helping her son since he was rushed to the hospital.
"My mom, right here to my left, is a Godsend," he said.
McBrayer had a neck brace on along with a sticky pad on his chest monitoring his vitals.
He's coming up on his fifth year as captain with DeKalb County Fire. He's been with the department for 14 years. He spoke about his work history, and you could hear the passion he has for his work, as he explained how he's moved up the ranks over the years.
While working hard on the job, McBrayer said he's also been on a life-changing journey.
"I was overweight my entire life. I was like, you got to do something about it. You got to start making a change," he said.
In May of 2021, McBrayer started making changes to his daily routine.
"I slowly started to get my diet under control, started to work out. And then before I knew it, I was dropping weight, started feeling better," McBrayer explained.
He also quit drinking alcohol this past August. McBrayer lost 75 lbs and has not had a drop of alcohol in more than 300 days. He continued to build up on this new lifestyle– when tragedy struck on June 11.
"But now I'm faced with one of the biggest challenges of my life, that's you know, being able to walk again," McBrayer explained.
In the crash, McBrayer's mom said he suffered a C-6 incomplete spinal cord injury. On the positive side, it's a partial injury that gives them hope.
"I'm a God-fearing man," he said.
McBrayer's mom chimed in, "We're going to handle it and with the Lord's help, we'll get there."
He knows it's a long road to recovery but McBrayer hopes he can continue to inspire others through his determination to get back on his feet.
"Every day you got to wake up and daily renew your mind that I will handle this. I will make this happen," McBrayer said.
And when speaking about his faith, he wanted to make it clear, "He's got his hand in this and he's got plans to use my story to further his kingdom and to bless other people."
McBrayer will be moving to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. It's ranked as one of the best rehabilitation centers for spinal cord injuries in the country.
One of his doctors will actually be an old high school classmate. Just like McBrayer, the doctor suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash. But he didn't let it stop him. He got married, has children and now is in a position to care for others suffering the same type of injuries.
McBrayer said no matter what it takes, he will one day walk again.
"My mindset is I will walk again. I will regain full function. That may take time, but, you know, I'm going to get there," he said.
McBrayer had a message for his colleagues, who haven't been able to see him yet, due to the extent of his injuries. You can watch his message below.