Prior to my stroke I’d always had a very active, jet setting, fairly healthy, and good life. Complete with a loving wife and two lovely children.

Then in October 2016 aged only 56, after I came from from a jog at the park near us in Olivers Battery, while I was carrying our 6 year old son to bed, I suddenly felt weak on my right side, everything seemed to be in slow-motion. I placed my son safely in bed, then I knew to well what I was having. I was a having a ischemic stroke. My wife found me on the floor, barely able to mutter a single word. It was very scary as I knew the symptoms , but not as scary as the hospital and rehab ordeal was about to endure.

So, some 4 months after the stroke got the better of me, I was finally discharged from rehab and came home, wheelchair bound. For the next 15 x months I was still in a wheelchair, still unable to speak much at all. I had carers in my house, caring for me, making my lunch, dinner and even they helped me at the time going to the toilet. My life had dramatically changed for the worse. So from being the active man I was, the  squash playing, swimmer, who practised the art of karate to black belt level, who taught children the art, to what I had become, an older man. I had become suddenly old now.

Then after much therapy both physio and speech, I felt my body slowly, very slowly gradually getting back into shape. It took a long time and still does somewhat, but it’s an on-going process. You always need to move forwards ………………

In early Jan 2018 I met Dr James Faulkner at the University of Winchester, where he introduced me to a bionic leg which really helped me get back on my feet again. As I still in the wheelchair when I first met James in early Jan 2018, but after some very hard work I was finally able to use my legs once again.

I even now walk to a place I fell in love with, the local rec, where there are many ‘fields in trust’ as memorial to WW1 veterans, it remains this way. It’s so tranquil there to walk amongst the flowers, the trees, the calm, the peace and quietness and the sunshine on my back, it’s truly an inspirational place to be.

The speech has come along as well with much therapy, but through out all this Different Strokes in Southampton have really helped me the most. With the group members who’ve all suffered their own strokes and stories, their interaction with individuals, who much needed help they provide, to making new friends, they have always been there to help us all in many ways. We intermingle with one another, we tell our personal storeys, share our goals, we make ‘ new friends’, tell jokes, have a lot of fun, we help others with the same disability, give each other peer support and above all else, it very much gives the one reason to want to wake up each morning, it gives us all hope.

Oh and nearly forgot about the lady who wants me to sing at her wedding. Earlier this year I sang at my wife’s birthday party and lady heard me on a video footage she saw at one of our meetings,  and now she wants me to sing at her wedding. Yes ‘The Wedding Singer’

Life goes on, no matter how harsh we’ve suffered, we must look forward to the future. Never look back at how were before, always look forward to a new beginning, as this is just the beginning

End of story, for now…