Drew’s Stroke Story:
It was the afternoon of Halloween Day 2021. I was home alone waiting for a call from Crew Scheduling. My wife was in California at a wedding with mu two adult sons. I went for a 3.5-mile run. (Thank goodness I was living a healthy life!)
I have no memory of that run. I only recall “waking up” and realizing I was on the ground, I couldn’t move my left leg, and there’s a guy sitting across from me.
Apparently, he’d been driving down the street with his two young daughters (4 and 6) checking out the mailboxes. Our street had a Halloween mailbox contest. He says that as he passed where I was on the ground, one of his daughters said “Dad, there’s a man on the ground and looks like he needs help.”
So he parked his car, and came over to me. I guess I was awake. He asked me if I was okay. At this point I handed him my cellphone (I always run with my cellphone on my left arm), and I said “call 9-1-1 and tell them I’ve had stroke” (I don’t know how I had the presence of mind to do that), but the ambulance that responded was indeed a special truck (stroke unit) with a CAT scan. My head was imaged before I got to the ER. This guy who used my phone asked if he should call my wife. I said “Yes”
This was my conversation: “Hey, I’ve had a stroke and I’m not good” I ruined her day. The airline put her and my 2 sons on the next flight(s) home. Everything later is hazy for me. My wife got a call from the hospital physician who’d reviewed my head image. It was a massive bleed. She was told to prepare for the worst.
I was then heavily sedated – I had some crazy dreams that were quite disturbing – but already small miracles were happening.
Luckily I collapsed outside, and also someone found me. If it had happened inside my house or while I was flying, or on a Central American or South American or Caribbean layover, the outcome would have been worse. I was told by the surgeon who opened my head, that I am extraordinarily lucky or blessed: over 50% of people who have a bleed like mine don’t survive the ambulance ride.
My background – This happened to me at age 63. I was fit, and enjoyed running since high school. I had a career in the AF as a fighter pilot, and then a career as a Captain at a major airline. A piloting career like mine requires staying fit and regularly taking physical exams. I had no common risk factors for stroke. I was told that a ruptured AVM or AVF, probably congenital, and asymptomatic, had ruptured. The bleed was massive, and the AVM was quickly resected. Scans have revealed no other abnormalities.
Joe’s Stroke Story:
Tom’s Stroke Story and Bio: