Life After Stroke: Rick's Story

It was early in the morning when Rick Wills woke up disoriented. He couldn’t understand what his wife was saying, and nothing felt familiar. The only clear memory he has from that morning is sitting outside on the front deck in his underwear, strangely unfazed by the cold.

Within minutes, emergency responders arrived at the house. Rick had suffered a stroke—though at the time, he didn’t fully grasp what was happening. He remembers very little after that moment. The next thing he knew, he was waking up in the hospital.

At the hospital, his wife was asked to approve emergency surgery. The procedure lasted nearly two and a half hours. Rick spent two nights in intensive care, followed by five more in recovery.

He speaks highly of the hospital staff, “When I needed help, they were there for me. No complaints."

One of Ricks biggest challenges since the stroke has been memory loss. Short-term memory issues make day-to-day life frustrating. He used to keep track of every hockey and football statistic, but now he struggles to remember names and details. “I remember players from before the stroke, but not the new ones,” he explains.

Rick credits Heart & Stroke NB’s Stroke Navigation Program for helping him and his wife move forward. Each visit offered small, manageable steps they could take together.

Now, he wants others to understand how suddenly stroke can strike—and how important it is to take care of your health. “It could happen to anybody. I thought I was healthy, but I wasn’t.” 

Rick’s experience is a powerful reminder of the importance of prioritizing your health, seeking support, and not taking life for granted. Through his challenges, Rick continues to rebuild his life – one step at a time.