A father says a concussion suffered by his daughter in 2009 nearly erased her life—until a reluctant turn to social media helped her find treatment, community, and a path back. Through “Dad Advice From Bo,” he posts everyday tips, starting with a video about h
When Emily Petterson’s head hit the ball in a 2009 soccer collision, her life didn’t just change. It narrowed—until her days revolved around the toilet and the next bad spell.
“From that moment, Emily’s life changed forever,” her father, Bo Petterson, says. He recalls how, at the time, his household had a “shake it off” attitude and that people weren’t talking about concussions the way they are now. What happened next was slower than a headline, harsher than he expected.
Emily now describes her injury as “being seasick 24/7.” On bad days, she stays near the toilet, vomiting for days. “There’s nothing I can do except hold her,” Bo says—helplessness that he describes as something he lived through long stretches of time.
The family’s world got smaller in stages. First Emily lost control of her body. Then she lost friends, her social life, and her ability to work. By 2020, depression had taken hold, and her mother and Bo were worried. Emily had mentioned making videos with him. but he had dismissed it—partly because he didn’t feel like putting himself out there. and partly because. at the time. he “didn’t even know what TikTok was at the time.”.
Bo’s decision changed only when Emily pushed again. He says he could see how desperate she was for something positive in her life. “So, one day when she asked, I reluctantly agreed.”
The first video wasn’t a medical plea. It was something Bo could do without thinking too hard: how to back up a trailer. He says he turned to advice his own father had taught him, then made the simple tip the center of their first attempt.
Emily posted it. The next day. the response surprised them—so many people had seen it that they “were amazed by how many people had seen it.” As Bo and Emily made more videos. he watched something shift that felt bigger than views. He says their channel was pulling Emily “out of the depths of despair.”.
The way Bo describes making content is almost the opposite of a typical influencer story. He says he’s shy and doesn’t want to think about how many people watch. Instead, he speaks “like I’m talking to my own kids.” That tone shows up in what viewers write back.
One woman messaged to say that when her dishwasher sprang a leak. her husband was running around trying to figure out how to turn off the water. The woman remembered Bo’s post about it and said she “saved the day.” Another message came after Bo encouraged viewers to pick up the phone and call their fathers. Bo says he made the suggestion while thinking about his own dad during his final years. Later, a viewer told them she had reconnected with her estranged father because of that video.
What started as an attempt to help Emily felt like it turned into a two-way channel—advice going out, and people finding moments to use it.
For Bo. that matters for a personal reason too: he says he wants to be honest about what “a good dad” means without pretending perfection. “A good dad is always there for his family, but he’s not perfect,” he says. He has made that point with his kids and on social media. adding that he makes mistakes and that parents “are going to mess up millions of times.” His goal. he says. is trying to make “the next right decision.”.
He also acknowledges he made a mistake early on in how he responded to Emily’s injury. But he frames the decision to get onto social media with her as the turning point. “Deciding to get onto social media with her was definitely the right decision.”
Since then, Bo describes spending time with Emily in a way he hadn’t expected to regain—making videos together, laughing “until we’re on our knees,” and feeling like the time has given them something back.
The biggest difference, though, is what Bo says the platform changed directly for Emily.
When they started. Emily says she “didn’t know anyone else with a traumatic brain injury.” Now. because of the network that emerged around their channel. she has found community. Bo says “because of funds and connections on social media. ” Emily has had access to “new treatments.” The channel began out of desperation; he says it now comes with hope.
In a life that had narrowed down to the body’s loss of control, and then to isolation, their videos have become a bridge—not just to care, but to people who understand what it’s like to live with the after-effects of a concussion that began with one collision in 2009 and never left quietly.
Dad Advice From Bo Emily Petterson Bo Petterson traumatic brain injury concussion TikTok social media treatment community soccer injury family impact