'I try to think back, and I can't': Illinois teen loses memory every 2 hours after traumatic head in

May 2024 ยท 3 minute read

Redeem now

On June 11, an Illinois teen was accidentally kicked in the head, inducing memory loss and dozens of seizures. Months later, she believes that it is still June 11.

Riley Horner, from Kirkland, Illinois, suffered a traumatic head injury that doctors originally deemed a concussion, WGN9 reported.

"I'm very confused, and I try to think back, but I can't," Riley told WGN9. "... I'm not making memories, and I'm just, like, really scared."

Riley said that she keeps detailed notes of events happening throughout the day, and sets an alarm on her phone every two hours to remind her to review them. She also keeps a calendar in her room to remind her what day it is, as she wakes up every morning confused, thinking that it is still the day that changed everything for her.

Sarah Horner, her mother, told WGN9 that Sarah's brother had recently passed away, and she has to break the news to Riley every day.

"We tell her every day but she doesn't have an idea, no idea about it," Sarah told the news outlet.

Read more: A new book tells the story of what it's like to lose your short-term memory at the age of 33

Even though Riley's memory "resets," she said she does recognize the hardship that it places upon her family and others who support her.

"I know it's hard for them as much as it's hard for me," Riley told WGN9.

However, her condition remains a medical mystery as doctors can't pinpoint what exactly is wrong, according to her mother, Sarah Horner.

"They tell us there's nothing medically wrong. They can't see anything," Sarah told WGN9. "You can't see a concussion on an MRI or a CT scan. There's no brain bleed; there's no tumor."

Her mother told WGN9 that she researched that short term memory can indicate irreversible brain damage if it lasts more than six months. Both Sarah and Riley hope to find an answer before it becomes too late.

"We need help; we need somebody that knows a little bit more because she deserves better," Sarah told WGN9. "I mean, [Riley] wanted to be in the medical field, and now she can't even hold a job if she wanted to."

A picture of a switch and lightbulb Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know. Subscribe to push notifications Read the original article on INSIDER. Copyright 2019.

Follow INSIDER on Facebook.

Follow INSIDER on Twitter.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyquMuipaiho2LBprHNZqOoq5Woeq6xzKipsmWVq7KzxYxrZKGnpafAbsDRmqymmaSesG60xJqbZqGen8KzxYxrZ2pxXW4%3D