My name is Stephanie, and on March 12th, 2026, my husband of almost 15 years, Tyler, had a stroke. It happened on our oldest child’s birthday — a day that should have been full of celebration but quickly turned into something terrifying.

I had just come home from taking our kids to school when he called out for help. He told me he’d stretched his neck because it felt stiff, and suddenly the room began spinning so violently that he couldn’t move without vomiting. I immediately called 911 — he’s the kind of person who powers through anything, so I knew something was seriously wrong.

At the emergency department, after several tests and scans, we learned that he had an anterior arterial dissection. It tried to clot, and the clots broke free and traveled to the balance center of his brain. We are incredibly fortunate that we caught it early, and because he is young, his doctors expect a full recovery. He is already walking with a cane and has made so much progress.

However, he cannot return to work until neurology clears him to lift more than 30 pounds. Because he is self‑employed, he doesn’t have PTO or disability coverage. He is our main source of income, and although we have insurance, it is catastrophic coverage with a very high deductible and out‑of‑pocket maximum.

We are doing everything we can to make it work, but any help during this time would mean the world to us. Thank you for reading our story and for any support you can offer.