Kansas City, Kan- Michael McHugh, a 47-year-old sales manager, suffered a stroke during a job interview. A candidate recognized the symptoms and called for help. McHugh's stroke was caused by atrial fibrillation. He recovered faster than expected, thanks to timely treatment and speech therapy.

Dr. Dipika Aggarwal, a stroke survivor and neurologist, shared her experience of a stroke caused by a small aneurysm. Both emphasized the importance of recognizing stroke symptoms quickly. Dr. Michael Abraham explained the BE FAST acronym for stroke recognition. They highlighted the role of emotional support and ongoing therapy in recovery.

Michael McHugh, patient

• Michael McHugh's progress has been faster than expected, thanks to the encouragement from his therapist, Courtney King. Michael McHugh is now walking, talking, and living with purpose, thanks to the observant job candidate and his care team.

Dr. Dipika Aggarwal, Neurologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• Dr. Aggarwal shares her personal stroke story, which happened in September 2019, shortly after returning from cancer treatment.
• She highlights the importance of emotional support and the role of her stroke survivor support group in helping patients and caregivers.

Dr. Michael Abraham, Neuro- Interventionalist, The University of Kansas Health System

• Dr. Abraham praises Dr. Agarwal for her inspiration and emotional support for stroke patients, emphasizing the importance of such support in recovery.
• He describes the procedure used to remove the clot from Michael McHugh's brain, including the use of a catheter and aspiration tank.