Name: Gym owner recounts recovery after sudden stroke left him blind at 36
Uploaded: 2025-11-22T23:56:59.172Z
Duration: 6 min 30 s
Description: A 36-year-old gym owner describes his experience of sudden blindness and paralysis following a severe stroke, detailing his recovery journey and ongoing challenges nearly two years later.

A 36-year-old gym owner describes his experience of sudden blindness and paralysis following a severe stroke, detailing his recovery journey and ongoing challenges nearly two years later.

A gym owner suffered a severe stroke at age 36, which initially left him completely blind and unable to recognize himself or others. Emergency responders transported him to a hospital in Jacksonville Beach, where scans revealed multiple areas of brain damage. 

After days of unconsciousness and intensive care, he gradually regained some abilities, including speech and recognition of loved ones, with significant support from family and medical staff. Nearly two years later, he continues to experience effects such as double vision and partial paralysis but expresses deep gratitude for his recovery and the support he received.

Gym owner recounts recovery after sudden stroke left him blind at 36

It's, it's like trying to remember a dream. I remember bits and pieces and I get chills because I couldn't see and that was extremely scary. By far the scariest thing I think I've ever felt. I didn't know if I'd ever see again. I remember the EMTs saying at one point he's having a stroke. Um, this was in the actual ambulance and they just kept keeping me calm and quiet and I was just sitting there praying the entire time. And I'd handed him a bite of food and he signaled to me that he was choking. Once I got that clear his eyes were locked in the upward left position. Like he was looking like this and he was talking to me but his eyes were locked and he was telling me he couldn't see anything. He's like everything's black, I can't see anything, I can't see you, this is scary. In the meantime my 11 year old, we had gotten to the phone, he had given us his phone to call 9-1-1. We were in Jacksonville Beach at the time and thankfully Jacksonville has a Mayo Clinic. So when he came to and woke up, they wanted, he was intubated through that whole process. And so we didn't know if he knew who he was. When they did scans of his brain and the MRI, they described it as fireworks. And when you do a scan like that it shows up as a big white spot. And it's a big hit in one area whereas for Fru it was like spurts and just different areas were hit and it looked like fire bursts through the scan. I only saw that scan once and it was enough. I only remember certain times during that whole week. I couldn't, I thought it was minutes that went by. Apparently I was out for days, had no idea. In between all of that we were able to identify like okay he knows who he is. He knows who I am. I asked him like is my name Sarah? Is it Brittany? Is it Jennifer? And I went through a couple names before I got to my own. And I would tell him like squeeze my hand if I'm giving you the right name. And he squeezed right it's like okay like you know who I am that's a good sign. They tapped the trach when you're able to start talking and you found your voice. They told him like hey not everyone is able to do this the first time so don't be discouraged. And he was able to give him a good ah. And then I told him I said I love you and he was able to respond with I love you. And so it just it was an incredible moment. I love you. I love you. I remember them trying to help me sit up. Yeah it just it it took time a lot of time. They'd have to hold me up two people. To balance in bed and just to sit up. I remember her looking over at me and saying all I want for you to do is focus. I want you to stand up and give me a hug for Christmas. And it just broke me inside. I just said okay I got to do this you know. This is the last thing I give her for a while I'm gonna give it to her. And I spent the next couple weeks until I could stand up and give you a hug. So they understood how I felt without me telling. And that's a big deal. We just live in a little world that's cold sometimes. So you know and they could look at me and know like this is gonna be this gonna be tough. But you can do it. And they just helped me a lot. And Rachel helped me a lot. My family did. But I will forever be in debt to them for that. You're so amazing. Hey So here we are what a year and a half almost two years. I would say you've continued to get better. People look at him and go oh well he's back to normal he's great. It's like you notice he's got glasses. He didn't have glasses before. The left side of his face was impacted and the right side of his body was impacted. You have with I think it's a sixth nerve palsy in your in one of your eyes. I can't believe my body. Yeah it basically pulls his eye over to where it's like two cameras but one's just off. So I have double vision. So he can't see depth. He's like 2D everything's flat. Yeah. So no driving. With everything going on hearing my voice for the first time I never thought I would hear myself again. I think when you're in that quiet for so long you really start thinking about life and and what matters and what doesn't. And you know I have to remind myself even today like don't forget where you were. Stay humble. You know if I got upset about something or frustrated or angry I had to remind myself there was a point in time I couldn't even express that. Just incredibly incredibly grateful for how how my journey has gone.

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