How 1 Man’s Brain Injury Turned Him Into A Math Savant

Jason Padgett grew up struggling in school — until one night in 2002 when he was attacked in a bar and everything changed. Padgett said after the incident, he was using areas of the brain he didn’t previously have access to; he experienced choppy vision, was drawing intricate shapes and was seeing complex mathematical objects everywhere. Dr. Darold Treffert, a world renowned expert on savants, later diagnosed Padgett with acquired savant syndrome, which explained Padgett’s new skills. Padgett joins Megyn Kelly TODAY to share his story.

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How 1 Man’s Brain Injury Turned Him Into A Math Savant | Megyn Kelly TODAY

[davidkennedy]

I was hit in the head and now I have bills and three kids

[DumpTrumpTREON]

My dad did nothing but work. He couldn't read, he had no hobbies, he thought games, sports, art, movie going and reading were distractions and unnecessary. He just worked, went home, took a shower, ate one meal a day at home. I knew nothing about him. He had a stroke. A stroke damages the brain, and while trying to recover other parts of the brain may wake up. All of a sudden my dad decided he wanted to paint. He had my mother drive him to an art store. He came out with an easel, high end paints, brushes, canvas and charcoal. Look, he once took me out to a dept. store, gave me $22. and said "buy a whole new wardrobe, your clothes are awful". He did not spend money. And here he was buying something he thought was frivilous. And he started painting. Stuff from looking out window, stuff from dreams. He never even doodled before. Now we had these really nice oil paintings - like pro quality, unbelievable. He never had an attention span and now he saw below the surface. He also used to be cruel and loved to berate us in front of others. And that stopped. It was like he had a stroke and instead of recovering his old stuff, he came back a way more interesting, and apparently had a gift he never had any interest in and thought was a "frivilous hobby".

[angelamagicsalveson]

I get it. The math we use in our daily life is in the background, subconscious. He's now able to access that info in that part of the brain consciously. That's amazing!!

[KCsFunHouse]

It’s really cool that he is so down to earth he is and how he lights up when he talks about math. What a cool story to come from such a horrible attack.

[MsBroadway]

I’m absolutely living for the woman in the background in red. Her facial expressions are on point

[STubes]

I'm pretty sure cutting off the mullet added a few IQ points.

[thelaurels]

This is such a wonderful story. What could have ended in tragedy actually made the guy a genius.

[mattdaddy]

true story- I met this dude like 15 years ago while I was trying to buy a futon. We talked for like an hour because this had just happened to him. Amazing man!

[tavkid]

*someone hit me in the head I’m in ap calculus*

[lyndsieannette]

I had a cerebral brain tumor removed in 2011. Photographic memory ever since

[SmartDumbNerdyCool]

Dude got knocked out into a permanent acid trip

[worshipthepig]

My cousin was hit by a car on his motorcycle. He was in a coma for 2 weeks. He claims he had visions of angels placing books of knowledge on him as he was in his coma. He didn't have a mechanical bone in his body before the accident. Now he runs his own restoration business where he restores everything from vehicles to tools and vintage household items to museum quality. No formal training at all, he knows how to all of it in his head

[SPadventurOUS]

The best thing about this guy is his ability to explain things simply to your average person.

[chapter]

I think this happened to my ex wife because she knows everything

[womaninthewave]

my uncle was just like he was until he got hit in the head by a baseball. now he’s a chemist and research genius. Wild

[lukedelagarza]

Did no one else notice how this guy’s name Jason and his attack happened on Friday the 13th?

[tavkid]

*when it happened on friday the 13th and his name is jason*

[forniafishing]

Somebody smarter needs to interview him

[AvivMakesRobots]

I was sort of sad to hear he was going in the direction of finance and stocks instead of medicine, physics, engineering or something else that can change the course of humanity. It is his choice though, of course.

[julianabohley]

she really did start the interview by saying “omg”