Overview
- Ellis Pears, 19, says a post-crash concussion left him suddenly unable to speak Welsh despite lifelong fluency, isolating him at his Welsh‑medium university.
- The November 2024 accident occurred on a muddy lane near Aberystwyth after he swerved to avoid a vehicle on his side of the road and his car flipped multiple times.
- Police attended the scene and Bronglais Hospital scans confirmed a concussion, followed by days of brain fog and difficulty processing instructions.
- He reports anxiety, flashbacks and nightly panic attacks, tried antidepressants without benefit, and used time outdoors and physical activity to cope; he was not formally diagnosed with PTSD.
- By June 2025 he said his Welsh had returned to normal and he resumed studies, though he still notes slower comprehension and panic triggered by seeing crash scenes; he credits what3words with helping police locate him.