Dan Lewis

Dan Lewis ‘09 was one of Low Strung’s co-founders and an award-winning young cellist. His strength and courage inspire us all and we honor his contributions to our founding. What Dan cofounded in 2006 was not just a club, but a family. We are honored to be a part of an enduring legacy that has brought so much joy to each of us and the many cellists and listeners who came after him.

During the summer after his sophomore year at Yale, Dan was riding in a 4,000 mile bicycling challenge to raise funds and public awareness for Habit for Humanity. Roughly six weeks into the ride and just past the 2,000 mile mark, Dan was struck by a speeding teenage motorist resulting in catastrophic injuries including severe traumatic brain injury. The accident occurred in western Kansas less than two full riding days from Dan’s family home in Denver where his family eagerly awaited his arrival along with his fellow cyclists. During the next four weeks, Dan endured many surgeries to address his brain trauma, many internal injuries, and many broken bones. Dan was in a coma and his vital signs fluctuated dramatically.

Over the years, Dan has endured and slowly recovered rudimentary abilities. He is able to speak single words and some short phrases, and can pluck some very basic patterns on his cello and can use his bow with minor assistance. Dan’s father, Hal Lewis, founded the Dan Lewis Foundation in hopes that new advances and innovations in biomedical science may one day lead to better outcomes for Dan and thousands of other individuals with severe brain injuries.

To learn more about Dan’s story and consider making a donation, at the Dan Lewis Foundation.

Note: Dan’s story can be found on the Dan Lewis Foundation webpage. It is re-uploaded here with the permission of Dan and Hal Lewis.