HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida woman has more than one reason to celebrate this Mother’s Day after she suffered a stroke while at home with her 10-year-old son, and doctors said this story may have had a different ending if it weren’t for the boy’s swift actions.
The woman, who identified herself as Linda, described the terrifying moments earlier this year when she knew something was wrong.
“I felt a pop in my brain, and immediately after that, I felt a droop on this right side of my cheek,” she said. “As I was talking, my speech went out, and she asked me, ‘What happened?’ I then said something, but it came out as gibberish.”
Linda said she was on the phone when, all of a sudden, her speech began to slur and her body became paralyzed.
Her son, Lance, said he immediately noticed her mother was struggling.
“My mom, she didn’t know what’s happening,” he said, “and as soon as my mom fell, I was crying. I was scared.”
However, the 10-year-old knew exactly what to do.
“My son said, ‘Mommy, don’t worry. I’m going to call for help,'” said Lance.
“I ran upstairs, I knocked on a neighbor’s door, and I said, ‘I don’t know what happened to my mom. My mom fell on the ground, and I need your help,'” said Lance.
“My son, the whole time, he remained calm, cool and collected,” said Linda. “I was so proud of my baby.”
Linda was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, where she was treated.
“Within two to three days, someone that came into the hospital paralyzed was able to go home, walk on her feet and back to her normal self,” said Dr. Norman Ajiboye, a neurointerventional surgeon at the hospital.
Doctors attributed her quick recovery to her son’s quick actions to get his mother help.
“If I started crying, or if I didn’t go [get] help immediately, my mom probably wouldn’t be here,” said Lance.
“Time is brain. Every minute that passes, about 1.9 million brain cells die, and our goal is to get to that patient within the golden hour to prevent any further damage,” said Ajiboye.
“I’m so grateful for him because he’s like my little angel,” said Linda.
Now a mother and her son are grateful, and together they made this weekend even more special.
“Happy Mother’s Day,” said Lance.
The chances of suffering a stroke increase with age, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in three stroke victims are younger than 65 years old.
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