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Brent Calhoun woke up with what felt like a migraine. He recognized the sensation, having experienced migraines a few times a year for more than 30 years.

A former practicing veterinarian, Brent was the administrator and co-owner of a chain of animal hospitals. He went to his office but just couldn’t focus. So he returned to his home in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and took a nap.

That evening, he joined his wife, Connie, and two sons for a violin recital at the boys’ elementary school. Connie thought Brent seemed out of it.

When he told her they needed to put their “daughters” to bed, she called Brent’s doctor.

He said Brent might be having a stroke.

Brent was 50, fit and active. At the time, he wasn’t showing the typical signs of a stroke, such as slurred speech or weakness in his arms. Still, Connie took the doctor’s advice and got Brent to a hospital.

A CT scan revealed that Brent had a stroke caused by what’s called a pseudoaneurysm. It’s when the wall around a blood vessel is damaged, allowing blood to leak into nearby tissue.

Doctors had no idea why this happened. While his father had several strokes, Brent’s was different. They didn’t see a connection. They also dismissed the fact that, two years earlier, Brent had had a , or TIA, a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain.

However, when Brent woke up the next morning, he couldn’t move his right side or talk. He’d had a second stroke overnight.

Doctors didn’t know what caused the second stroke and too much time had passed to treat it. They prescribed a blood thinner and beta blocker to help prevent future strokes.

Brent soon began physical therapy for movement, in addition to speech and occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks.

After a week, he could form words and thoughts. His ability to move started to return. Within a month, he could transfer himself from his bed into a wheelchair.

Brent had always believed that all problems were solvable. His confidence and effort were paying off.

For instance, while his short-term memory was affected, Brent didn’t let it get him down. He kept telling himself that he’d always been forgetful. More frustrating was dealing with , which sometimes prevented him from coming up with the words he wanted to use.

“I just figured I was eventually going to be back to my old self,” he said.

After a month in the hospital, Brent spent three weeks at a rehab facility.

Once home, he pushed through constant exhaustion to continue outpatient rehab.

Within three months, Brent was walking again, with the help of a brace called an ankle-foot orthosis, or AFO, on his right leg. It’s worn to support and control the ankle and foot and to prevent them from dragging while walking.

His physical progress was encouraging. Yet he struggled to control his emotions – and it frustrated him.

Brent began laughing, crying or becoming angry involuntarily. That’s known as emotional lability and can be a side effect of brain trauma.

Seven months after the stroke, Brent returned to work part time. This was his chance to gauge his progress.

More frustration followed. He lacked the necessary energy, concentration and speaking ability.

“At that point, it was clear I was not going to get back to normal,” he said.

His role diminished over the next year, prompting him to retire at 51. He later sold his share of the business.

He also faced challenges at home.

Brent eventually returned to driving and doing household chores. But Connie had to take on more administrative duties.

His relationship with his sons frayed, too, because of his difficulty communicating.

He continued outpatient therapy, although it didn’t seem to help much, Brent said.

So he came up with a new plan for his recovery.

“I thought I could help other stroke patients,” he said.

In 2021, Brent started an online community centered on stroke recovery. Since then, he’s also written a book, made presentations and provided personal coaching.

“I feel like there’s a lot of things stroke patients could be doing but aren’t,” he said. “I try to motivate them to do more.”

The key, he said, is “to just keep going, especially in the beginning. It’s tempting to stay inside and do nothing.”

Brent’s efforts have helped many people, both online and in his local support group.

The survivor he’s helped the most?

Himself.

“I’m glad that Brent has this sense of purpose,” Connie said. “He’s come a long way.”

Stories From the Heart chronicles the inspiring journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, caregivers and advocates.

Stroke recovery looks different for everyone, and support can make a meaningful difference. Whether it’s in person, online or on the phone, the American Stroke Association is here to support your journey to recovery. Learn more about . The newsletter also delivers more news, resources and stories to your inbox.