Glenn E.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
By: Glenn Ellis

Survivor

1/2 to 1/2

My journey from 1/2 (paralyzed) to a 1/2 (marathon)

My name is Glenn Ellis. I am 39 years old and a father of 4 young children. I am a 2 time stroke survivor. I thought I was in good health. I excised 6 days a week, and ate well, but still had 2 strokes at a young age. I enjoyed to participate in triathlons, marathons and adventure races. it was during one of those races, that i sustained an injury to my neck, that later resulted in a dissection of my carotid artery and caused a right sided ischemic stroke. this stroke left me in a hospital room for a week or so, with very little movement on my left side. I later had another stroke on easter morning in church. So I was having success in the business world, and just ran the fastest race i had ever done and was laid up with a stroke. i have since not let myself slow down or stop being a good dad. i started working again full time, and have recently began another round of more aggressive PT to prepare me for my first post stroke race, a 1/2 (13.1) marathon in november( almost 1 year later). It has been a very long and difficult road to get to this point. Its so hard to get out of bed each morning and push on. i refuse to let a stroke steal whats important to me and my family.