I am in my 40's, very happily married for over a quarter century and have two children - my daughter is almost 22 and my son is almost 18. In March, 2003, I had a severe brain stem stroke. According to the doctors, I had an 85%-90% chance of dying. God performed a miracle and saved my life. The stroke did, however, leave some striking and lasting effects. Among other things, I relearned how to walk, talk, and swallow. I now live my life in a wheelchair. But I don't let that slow me down.

I have a wonderful life surrounded by family and a lot of friends. We live in Daphne, AL, and we love it.There are many stories available of someone having a stroke or other significant brain injury who are now running a marathon or climbing mountains. I can't relate to that. When I had my stroke, I just wanted to know that it was possible to live normally again. It is. This is the story of my stroke and of an average guy enjoying life while conquering a daily routine.