Dick W.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
By: Dick Warden

Survivor

Stroke Survivor Still Has All His Buttons

This is a short story revolving around my cerebral stroke in October, 2008. Five years before, as a Deacon with our local church, I was asked to call on a very successful businessman, who had a stroke and heart attack and was confined to an assisted living home. We became good friends and I was inspired to make clothing, which was of high quality yet used velcro tabs under the buttons since he had no mobility with his hands. The first article was to be a man's white dress shirt, but no progress was made until I recovered from stroke.

My stroke occurred while I was in my car waiting for the light to turn green at a busy intersection. Someone behind me beeped their horn and I reached to turn my steering wheel only to find that my hand just floated in space. I passed out and my car gently rolled across the intersection without hitting anything and crashed into a brick wall on the other side of the street. The only thing I remember is that a woman opened the car door and asked me my name. I told her my first name very vaguely and she asked if she could pray for me. I said, "yes" and she led me in the most comforting and peaceful prayer that was perfect for my condition at the time. She was truly my Guardian Angel.

After my miraculous recovery from my stroke, I changed my NO Button Clothing project from a "for profit" approach where we were going to sell the shirts to a "non profit" corporation that serves as a Ministry dedicated to God's guidance and to giving the shirts to "caring communities" free. We called this effort the Hand Aid Foundation and you can learn more about us at www.handaidfoundation.com Our shirts are now being used my PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America), ALS Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association,United Cerebral Palsy and several Stroke Rehab Units at local hospitals in a very small way around San Diego.

We are planning for next year and listening to God's voice at every turn.

In His service,

Dick Warden 
Servant