Today I am reaching out to ask for your help and support for something that unexpectedly has become very important to me.
Last November, I had a stroke at 41 years old. This is something I have not widely shared until now. It has taken that long to process and come to terms with something so unexpected happening to me, especially at 41 and otherwise healthy. I'm grateful I knew the signs and got help as quickly as I did and I recognize that others have not been as lucky. With that in mind, I've decided to link arms with the American Heart Association (AHA) to do what I can, in some small part, to spread awareness, help others recognize signs and symptoms of strokes, raise money, and increase preparedness.
Like many others, I was having a normal day, picking up my sons Finnegan and James from daycare when my right foot lost feeling. I didn’t think much of it and went inside to get the boys. By the time I returned to my car, my entire right leg had lost all feeling. Without hesitation, I quickly got to the hospital as fast as I could. Upon arrival, the numbness had spread to my right shoulder and arm. I signed in, told them I was having a stroke and was told to have a seat, which I did. I knew what was happening and was scared. I quickly decided to advocate for myself and insisted to the desk staff that I was having a stroke. All feeling from head to toe on the right side of my body was gone. A nurse overhead me and asked me to smile. When it was clear I could not smile, I was taken back into the ER immediately, where I received scans and soon after lost the ability to speak.
After a while, and a lot of wonderful care, everything seemed to go back to "normal." I laid in the emergency room for hours being monitored, where I was faced with some pretty rough thoughts. Among them, "How did I get here? I don’t drink and haven’t for 13 years. I play hockey two to three times a week, I ride a Peloton, and I chase twin 5 year old boys around nonstop." I thought about my family. Would I be able to hug them? To tell them with words how much I love them? Would I ever be able to play catch with the boys? Would I be able to work normally and support my family? I laid in that bed and I typed letters to my sons in case the worst should occur. They were only 5, how could I miss their lives? I may have had worse days in 41 years, but I’m pretty sure this was the worst one. A week of treatment and tests later, I was released. I am proud to say that I do not have any lasting effects, other than a built in fear that this can occur again.
I owe my success story to the fact that I am in construction. I have attended countless safety training classes and I knew what was happening. I knew time was of the essence and I got to a hospital. I demanded to be seen. I knew what to do and advocated for myself. Many in this world do not, and many are not as lucky as I was. I now watch my health more closely and take proper precautions. But my list of action items doesn’t stop there. In fact, I believe my story has just begun.
I was nominated and have accepted the position of being a Leader of Impact for the AHA for their fundraising campaign. This is a 7 week endeavor to raise critical funds for research, training, and lifesaving educational information. This is also a contest locally and nationally, and if you know me, I can't say no to a contest. My parents taught me from an early age that it is imperative that we always strive to raise the bar, and that just because something hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. So, with that said, I am raising $100k in 7 weeks and to do so will take an entire village. I have the greatest friends and family a guy could ask for and many have said yes to helping me make asks and spread the word. Together, and with your help, I hold steadfast that we can make an incredible impact for the AHA, the communities in which we live, and those we love and cherish.
Are you with me in making a real impact on the health of our community? Click the Donate button to support the American Heart Association today.