Rise Again Stronger

July 9th 2025 started like any other day until the middle of the afternoon. Up to that point, a normal day of work, writing emails, phone calls, talking with clients, zoom calls, staring at my oversized monitor and treating myself to popcorn, an afternoon treat.

Around 2:30, my life and world changed without any major warning sign. After getting up from my chair, I fell flat on my face,,on the carpeted floor, unable to move or get up,, left on the floor calling for help. I knew something was really wrong, but having a stroke not entering my mind, I could never have a stroke, not me. My call for help growing more desperate, faint and weak by the minute hoping someone would hear before my voice was gone and empty . My voice the only thing I had left. Fortunately help arrived and I’m here today to write and share my story “Rise Again Stronger”

The word stronger in the “Rise Again Stronger” title is significant and important context. After the stroke and being out of the ICU a few days, I was determined to send messages to my family and kids via my text updates , that I was strong, positive and was not going to allow the stroke to define me, like an athlete coming back from injury, I was going to put in the work , 100% all in. As a former college level athlete, this was my engrained mindset. Thinking back , sending the positive messages was my way of trying to alleviate concern and worry among my family , you could say put on a strong face for others. Inside I was scared, and didn’t know what would become of me

Welcome to my story “Rise Again Stronger” and 8 months later.. The core premise to the story is not about being strong, or putting on a strong face for others , but from my stroke, becoming stronger – mentally, emotionally, now seeing life in new possibilities, colors and meaning.. Maybe not physically as before (we will see) but to use my experience to help others who may fallen or may be battling through or struggling through issues to rise again stronger from physical mental, emotional trauma conditions/situations..

Laying in my hospital bed and as I began my in-patient rehab therapy sessions in July, I kept repeating the same line over and over in my head, my story is not over, my story is not over, my story is not over.

Paramount to my story is the concept being strong is for others, but being “stronger is for me, defining my own personal journey and story,, and our shared stories..It may be a strange thing to say about a stroke, a blood clot formed in the brain, but my stroke represents an opportunity. An opportunity to become stronger in new ways. As they say – never waste a good opportunity. It is my hope my story, and in this opportunity may to inspire and connect with others to rise again, not just being strong but stronger.

My journey to recovery is far from over but I’ve learned in the daily battle, fight, and struggle, we have resilience and strength embodied within and from the depths of pain, sadness, doubt, and fear eg. our greatest struggles and vulnerabilities , in each incremental baby step forward and being steadfast in exercise repetition will become stronger in the end.

Welcome to my story “Rise Again Stronger” Stay tuned for the following post , enter Eddie, Sean, Charlie, A Supertramp and Into the Wild .