Charlottesville Musician Recovering from Car Accident - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

A Charlottesville musician is getting stronger after a horrible car accident on June 18. Now, his family and friends are coming together to support each other during what some are calling a "miraculous recovery.”

Friends describe Dan Runion as a lovable and caring guy under the harsh exterior of all Goth makeup and heavy metal music.

“You know, he was a musician all the way,” said Bria Medunic, Dan’s friend. “Being a front man like all the way, being a front man that's who he was and is.”

Instead of playing his heart out at the death rock concerts he was known for, Dan was left with a traumatic brain injury after his car flipped and trapped him under it.

For the last month, he has been in a hospital bed at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

“He was driving a 1986 Cadillac hearse. Her name is Samantha,” said Michelle Bly, Dan’s mother.

“He liked, what would you call it, the shock attention? That’s why he drove a hearse with a coffin in the back,” said Tabitha Runion, Dan’s sister.

The road to recovery has been long, but Dan’s family has been by his side every step of the way.

“He's always been my backbone when I needed him to be and right now he needs me, so I'll be his backbone. I'll be the one that gives him strength,” said Tabitha Runion.

Dan's friends organized a charity concert to raise money for his hospital bills.

“I mean, you can say that family can support each other but really, we needed their support too,” Bly said.

Dan’s parents and sister all went to the concert, making sure to take plenty of videos to show Dan back in the hospital.

“I know Dan will come back. I don't believe that it will be the same Dan, I think it's going to be a better Dan,” said Bly.

Hope is key for Dan’s family. They even have a rule - no negativity in his hospital room.

“We knew that he had traumatic brain injuries, but I didn't know what that meant,” said Bly. “I sat the doctors down one day and said I'm not a sugar coat it kind of gal. I want you to lay it on the line for me.”

Dan's family wants to raise more awareness about traumatic brain injuries, not only like the severe one that landed him at the UVA Health System, but also more common injuries like concussions.

“So it can be something from a more minor injury that you bounce back from after three or four weeks, to something that is truly, truly life altering,” said Dr. Kristen Heinan, traumatic brain injury expert.

Dan is still fighting to recover from his injury, but his mother says he's made as much progress in one month as doctors expected after six months.

“I told the doctors, I said, ‘There's something that I know that you don't. I know my son. And he's going to blow all of your minds,’” said Bly.

Dan’s doctors plan on sending him home from the hospital within days to continue rehab as an outpatient.

If you would like to help Dan and his family, click here.