This quote means that when someone has gone through a difficult time and come out the other side, although they may appear to have recovered, they will not be the same person they were before. This could be referring to a physical or emotional event, or even a combination of the two. When a person has been through a challenging situation, it can leave an impression on them and can cause them to change in subtle but significant ways. In other words, although a person may have put together the broken pieces and may appear to have recovered from the event, internally they may not be the same person they were before.