Bobby’s Crash Foundation was created following a September 28, 2025, crash involving Brennen Neblung. Brennen, whose childhood nickname was Bobby, was traveling at an excessive speed when he lost control of his vehicle. His family was in South Dakota when Nick received the phone call every parent fears. The family immediately began working to get Brennen the medical care he needed.
Brennen spent approximately a month and a half receiving treatment between the University of Iowa and Shirley Ryan Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago. The first week following the crash was particularly uncertain as his family waited to learn what his recovery would look like.
As Brennen’s recovery progressed, Nick began looking for a way to turn the experience into something that could help others. That became the foundation for Bobby’s Crash Foundation, with the goal of using Brennen’s story to educate young drivers about the consequences that can follow a single decision.
The foundation focuses on a wide range of driving and safety issues, including speeding, seat belt use, distracted driving, impaired driving, peer pressure, unsafe recreational vehicle use, and bicycle helmet safety. The message extends beyond drivers to passengers and anyone who may find themselves in a position to influence a driver’s behavior.
Brennen has also become an important part of the foundation’s educational efforts. Now 20, he has returned to work and continues to recover from the injuries he suffered in the crash. Sharing his personal experience allows young people to see the real-world consequences of decisions they may otherwise consider harmless.
One of the foundation’s central messages is that a single decision can change a life in an instant.
The Real Cost of a Crash
Brennen’s injuries were extensive. He suffered multiple brain bleeds, a traumatic brain injury, collapsed lungs, an arterial bleed, damage to his liver and large intestine, and fractures to his lower back. He required multiple surgeries and had rods placed in his back.
He also carries permanent scars from his surgeries and from the seat belt that helped protect him during the crash.
The family has been able to document more than $1.5 million in medical expenses related to Brennen’s care through May 1, 2026. That figure does not include future surgery, additional physical therapy, or potential long-term medical needs resulting from his injuries.
The financial impact is only one part of the aftermath. The emotional and psychological effects extend throughout a family and its wider circle of friends and loved ones.
Bobby’s Crash Foundation uses the financial reality of Brennen’s crash as one way to connect with young audiences. When speaking to students, Brennen has found that discussing the cost of the crash can immediately get their attention and help them understand that the consequences of a vehicle accident can reach far beyond the price of a damaged car.
Teaching Young Drivers What to Do
The foundation is working to provide educational materials and programs that can help young drivers make safer decisions.
One project in development is a resource designed to help young drivers know what to do following a minor crash. A QR code would provide access to a form where drivers could enter information about the incident, including details they may need when dealing with another driver or law enforcement.
The foundation also wants to teach young people how to respond when they encounter a more serious crash. Knowing what information to provide to emergency dispatchers can help first responders understand the situation and determine what resources are needed.
Brennen’s own crash demonstrated the importance of that information. Three 911 calls were made following the incident, including an automatic crash notification from Brennen’s cellphone and calls from people who arrived at the scene. The information provided by those callers helped dispatchers understand Brennen’s condition and the circumstances of the crash.
Taking the Message to Students
Bobby’s Crash Foundation has already begun bringing its presentation to schools and youth audiences.
The first presentation took place at Northeast High School in Goose Lake, Iowa, where Brennen had graduated. The program was connected to pre-prom safety discussions and focused on making responsible decisions.
The foundation has also presented at schools in Preston and Fulton. At one presentation, students remained afterward to ask questions and learn more about the experience.
At Fulton High School, the foundation participated in a mock prom disaster exercise. Students were able to see a simulated crash involving first responders before hearing directly from Nick and Brennan about the real-life consequences of Brennen’s crash.
For Nick, the goal is not to measure success by the number of people who attend a presentation. Instead, the foundation hopes that even one person will make a different decision because of the message.
The impact may not be immediately visible. A student could hear the presentation, change a driving habit, and never have another interaction with the foundation. The Neblungs may never know that the decision happened, but that is part of the mission.
The Car That Tells the Story
Bobby’s Crash Foundation also has Brennen’s actual Mustang from the crash.
The vehicle is transported on a trailer and can be incorporated into presentations and community events when the location allows. The damaged car provides a visual representation of what happened and allows audiences to see the physical consequences of the crash.
Combined with Brennen’s personal story and the scars left by his injuries, the vehicle helps demonstrate that the foundation’s message is based on an actual experience rather than a hypothetical scenario.
The foundation hopes to eventually add a seat belt convincer to its educational equipment. The device simulates the impact of a 25-mph crash and demonstrates the force involved even at relatively low speeds.
The Neblungs see the device as another way to reinforce the importance of wearing a seat belt properly.
Building the Foundation
Bobby’s Crash Foundation recently completed the process of establishing its nonprofit status. The organization has received its 501(c)(3) status and charitable trust certification in Illinois, allowing it to accept donations to support its mission.
The foundation’s current financial needs include educational materials, promotional materials, insurance, travel expenses, and other costs associated with taking its programs into communities.
The organization is also structured with a board of directors that includes professionals with experience in traffic crash reconstruction, law enforcement, accounting and taxation, logistics, and family and youth issues.
The Neblungs are working to build the foundation in a way that provides appropriate oversight and accountability as the organization grows.
A Five-Year Mission
Nick envisions Bobby’s Crash Foundation as a five-year project for the family.
The goal is to establish the foundation, develop the educational program, expand the conversations around safe driving, and eventually pass the mission to another organization or family that can continue the work.
The Neblungs recognize that they cannot know how many lives the foundation may ultimately influence. Their hope is to reduce crashes and fatalities by encouraging people to think before making decisions behind the wheel.
For Brennen, being able to share his story has become part of his own recovery. His experience serves as a reminder that the consequences of speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, and other unsafe behaviors can be permanent.
Bobby’s Crash Foundation is built around a simple idea: one decision can change a life.
Through school presentations, community events, educational materials, and Brennen’s actual crash vehicle, Nick and Brennen Neblung are working to make sure young drivers understand the importance of making the safest decision possible before they ever face the consequences of a dangerous one.
For more information about Bobby’s Crash Foundation, to request a presentation or to learn how to support the organization, visit bobbyscrash.org.
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