Dan’s Story: Achieving Full Potential at EEI
People with mental and physical disabilities require significant supports and space. Let me introduce you to Dan: Dan Schlag, a 1999 graduate of Little Falls Community High School, an all-American hometown boy. Dan was destined for college in the Fall until he had his dream and vision of the future altered by a very unfortunate vehicle accident.
With a traumatic brain injury, his future was unclear as Dan spent 2 ½ months in a coma. When Dan recovered, he went home to live with his mother, Deb Johnson, for a couple years before moving to Courage Center for additional rehabilitation.
After 18 months, he moved to a group home in Brooklyn Center, where he lived for 17 years. While there, Dan attended an art program called Interact. Dan developed his creative side in both visual and performing arts.
Some of his most recent visual art from Interact explores portraiture, his favorite painting genre. “I enjoy recording the high level of detail found in the skin tone and facial features, and I strive to capture a ‘window effect’ with the canvas, as if the person were right there in front of me.”
One of Dan’s pieces, a portrait of Mayor R.T. Rybak, hangs in the mayor’s home.
Pictured are some of Dan’s portraits.
Dan goofs around directing a firehose at an EEI event featuring the Little Falls Fire & Rescue team.
Dan was also in performing arts in a play called "Broken Brain Summit.” The play was based on the stories of actors in the play and how they acquired their brain injuries and a doctor who himself had a brain injury.
Dan’s love of arts motivated him after his accident; now at Employment Enterprises, Inc. (EEI), he expands his goals. Dan is a recent addition to the EEI team where he focuses on creating job skills as he seeks community employment. While at EEI’s main site, he works in the recycling shop, “Today, I have been running balers for cardboard and paper. I enjoy all the variety of jobs I get to do. I get to experience work out in the community and expand my workmanship; it makes me feel very valuable,” he says.
Dan can’t wait to come to EEI each day, “I love it here; the people are really nice. I have a wonderful place to come and relax.”
Dan has suffered an irreversible brain injury and still takes joy in every day. He will not hesitate to tell you how “awesome” he is. It is clear how much he enjoys life. We are privileged to have Dan on our team. Pictured Dan working at his community job.
Dan says, “I am at the right place at EEI charting my course to a community job. They are going to get me where I want to go. This is just the beginning, and I am excited to continue to see the characters who make up EEI.”
At EEI, Dan experiences individualized training, art therapy, self-discovery, and employment programs.
Dan’s mom, Deb, says, “I am so pleased, Dan loves going to work, and it makes a mom happy to see he feels so good about his job and feels like he fits in.” He feels at home at EEI.
Dan poses for a photo with his mom Deb.
