An “inspirational” individual who was not expected to survive a near-fatal stroke at just 42 years old has defied the odds by learning to walk again.
Chris, now 49, was on holiday in Scotland when he suddenly collapsed and was rushed to hospital where he was placed into an induced coma and given just hours to live.
His family arranged for him to be transported by ambulance back to the West Midlands, where Chris had been living and running his own business a graphic designer, so they could be at his bedside for his final days.
Yet miraculously, Chris survived the stroke and despite being warned he would never walk or talk again, he has now taken his first steps with the support of his physio and the Extra Care scheme where he lives.
“At one point we were told he had just 48 hours to live and there was no chance of him waking up,” said Chris’ sister Wendy.
“They didn’t expect him to survive the journey back from Scotland but they wanted to bring him back to his family. But slowly, he just went the opposite way to what everyone expected and started to get better.”
Chris underwent hospital physio but was advised he had reached his potential and would be unable to ever walk, talk or use his left hand. By this point, he had moved into Willowfields, an Extra Care scheme which offers residents the independence and privacy of their own homes but with the support and reassurance of on-site Care Workers who are available 24/7.
“We were sitting in the garden one day and he was quieter than usual,” said Wendy.
“He told me he wanted to die; he didn’t want this to be his life anymore.”
Wendy and her siblings reached out to Marc, from On Your Marc's physio, to seek further support for Chris’ rehabilitation and together they worked on exercises. Chris attended Willowfield’s on-site gym to work on his rehabilitation and seven years on from his stroke, Chris began walking with the aid of a crutch.
“I came to assess Chris and we just hit it off,” said Marc.
“When I first met Chris he was wheelchair bound and had very limited independence. Strokes are really personal to me; I lost my mum to a stroke, I couldn’t save her so I made it my goal to save Chris.
“Chris took his first steps on Christmas week; now we’re doing laps and lengths and going multi directional. We’ve even started work with a step. Chris said he wanted to try to look at his left hand too and just recently, he has started to get some sensation back in that as well. His dedication and refusal to give up is truly inspirational.”
Since working with Marc, Chris still uses his electric wheelchair to move around but signs in every day to use the equipment at Willowfield’s on-site gym to further his rehabilitation.
His story has also attracted the attention of different brands who are following his journey online, including his beloved Aston Villa Football Club, who invited him to tour Villa Park and attend a game as a VIP.
Wendy said: “Chris has had to relearn everything and start his life again. He still can’t speak but the bond with Marc tells you everything you need to know and having the on-site gym at Willowfields means that stroke survivors like Chris have access to the equipment to help their recovery.
“Chris knows now he’s got a fantastic life here; he’s happy now and has come to terms with it. He has friends here; he makes incredible craft projects with just one hand and without Willowfields and Marc, I don’t know where he would be.”
Looking ahead, Chris has set himself two goals; to walk unaided into his 50th birthday in January 2026 and to eventually return to employment.
Local Housing Manager Jo, who manages Willowfields on behalf of Housing 21, said: “Everyone here has been touched by Chris’ story. Despite all the challenges and obstacles that would defeat so many other people, Chris refuses to give up and is in the gym every day determined to beat the odds. We’re so proud of him and everything he has achieved.”
Willowfields is an Extra Care Village owned and managed by Housing 21, a leading not-for-profit provider of housing with on-site care and support.
