From Ron’s wife, Linda:
My husband Ron was a college professor and a lover of reading, particularly nonfiction books. He prided himself on having read every book published about Presidents of the United States! In 2012 Ron had a stroke which left him with aphasia. While he didn’t have mobility issues, the loss he mourned the most was his ability to read for pleasure. As his spouse, I felt frustrated on how best to help Ron as I fully realized that loved ones are not always the best people to nudge the person toward hope and recovery. We were referred to TAP after Ron’s therapy program at Wake Med ended, and Ron made great progress in regaining his ability to enjoy his passion of reading by participating in the wonderful TAP Book Club as well as the Back To Work group.

Our son Austin was an athletic, healthy 18-year-old until one day in July 2013, he suffered a massive stroke while working out. In just a few weeks we were going to be moving him into Liberty University for his freshman year. Austin’s sudden stroke completely changed his life plan and instead he was fighting for his life in Duke’s ICU.
Austin had just graduated with honors from Apex High School in June. He was a member of the National Honor Society and an avid soccer player, playing all four years on the Apex soccer team. He was also actively involved in the leadership of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club at Apex. He looked so forward to attending LU and hopefully playing on their soccer team.

Enter 2014 and my desire to spend more time in my life in service to others. Couple this with a healthcare background and a friendship with Maura Silverman, and a new TAP volunteer was born! I intended to help with administrative tasks, organize and clean the office, and assist in fundraising events. I have done these things, but more importantly, I became involved with TAP clients and providers. I have learned that aphasia has no gender, color, or race. It affects the patient, their families, and providers. I have seen the challenges that aphasia presents, but have also witnessed firsthand how the people and resources at TAP improve the health, communication, and quality of life of its clients.

It was an ordinary Saturday in May 2011 for practicing attorney Don Cowan – an hour on the treadmill, fielding cell phone calls from clients whose concerns could not wait until Monday, prep time for the legal education seminars he regularly conducted for judges and fellow litigators, and an opportunity to kickback and relax, followed by an evening dancing at the wedding of a favorite law partner.
In the middle of the night a severe stroke transformed his life. Talented therapists returned him to a NEW NORMAL. Speech therapists at UNC Acute Rehabilitation taught him to swallow, find his voice, and begin the demanding (and continuing) work of verbal communication.

During my first couple of years working as a speech pathologist in the rehab setting with individuals with neurological communication impairments, I was constantly asked the same questions over and over towards the end of therapy: ”Where do I go from here?” and “What’s next?” Every patient had a similar trajectory – inpatient rehab to outpatient rehab and then what? Life, that’s what. But how do you do “life” with aphasia? ” Who’s going to understand me? Who’s going to be patient with me? It’s too frustrating. I just can’t do this.” That’s what my patients were saying. And unfortunately, as the expert I didn’t have any good answers.
Then, one day, things changed…

In April 2011 when I was twenty-seven, I was living in Bolivia, where I had several jobs, mainly working as a mountain bike guide, but also as a location scout for the television show, “Ice Road Truckers.” One day, after being in a mountain bike race, I was doing jumps with my friends on about twenty-foot jumps. When I landed from one, my bike split in half and I got a traumatic brain injury. I was in a coma, in the hospital in Bolivia for a month, then transferred to Carolinas Medical Center for another two months. I lost the use of my right side, including my leg, my arm and hand, and half of my vision – and also my language. Now I have aphasia. I know the words but I can’t get them out. I also have trouble reading and writing, but it is getting better.”

As Maura’s husband, I have been a part of this wonderful organization called TAP since its inception all those years ago. It is humbling to read all of these “12 Days of TAP” stories and to see what this small, grass roots nonprofit can do by helping one person, one family, at a time. I could not be more proud of its accomplishments and thrilled for those patients and families who have benefited by its programs.

Personally, I am indebted to all of the volunteers, therapists, board members, and supporters who have helped along the way. TAP continues to exist because of a small but passionate group of individuals who know what it can offer. In order to keep it going, however, it takes more than passion. It also takes money. TAP does not have a million-dollar donor, an entire building, or a staff of 25. It has a small office, one part-time assistant, a slew of volunteers, and a leader who continues to work and sacrifice on a daily basis, not for the money (since she doesn’t accept a salary), but for those who continue to need speech therapy services, because we all know that you can continue to improve, even when the medical establishment says you can’t.

On May 22, 2013, at 7:30 a.m. I tried calling my mom at her home in North Carolina, and she didn’t answer.  I felt strange about it. Normally she would call me at 7:00 a.m. as we prayed every morning that time.  I kept calling consistently every 15 to 30 minutes yet still no answer.  I began to panic.

My mother retired in 2000 and decided to relocate from New York to North Carolina.  I could remember thinking how was she going to leave from a place of familiarity to somewhere that was totally different.  She left me in New York and moved to North Carolina all by herself.  She had great neighbors and she met new friends along the way.  She was active in her local senior center and was very independent.  She drove her car, cooked, cleaned, gardened, went to church, and  traveled. Although my mom had prior health issues, she managed them and was enjoying her life.

One morning I got up and drove to a coffee shop to meet my dad. As I waited for him there was a funny feeling. I asked him to grab a doughnut for me. I don’t remember if I even had a bite before asking him to take me home. He called Barb and she got there shortly after. By this point I needed help walking to the car to go to the hospital. Fortunately I could tell how to get there but as we arrived my words had slurred to the point I could not understand myself and had to be lifted into a wheelchair. Shortly after the lights went out.

To this point several of you know the story. Here is where my attitude made the difference as the hospital I was in only had so many beds for rehab and I got one. I now think about the others who had to go home without this invaluable help. After many weeks of physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapies, I went home to continue with outpatient therapy. In New York you get 20 weeks of physical and a combined 20 weeks of occupational and speech. After my first speech sessions I was told I could benefit more from occupational so there you go.

My name is Krystal Jackson and it has been almost four years since my stoke in January 2012, and my life has not been the same since. It has been a journey.

We were living in Northern Virginia at the time and my husband and I just signed a contract to build a new home here in North Carolina.  Five days after we signed the contract on my home I suffered the stroke.  Though the builder offered to refund all our money after hearing what happened my husband said no, we are building her dream home. I didn’t know then, but I know now, he knew that I would survive and be here today.  Thank you.

I know that TAP can be an immense gift for individuals, families, and friends living with aphasia, as I have witnessed it first hand.   But I don’t know if those served by TAP truly understand that they, and TAP, can be an immense gift to us that serve.

I am blessed to have several passions in my life, two of which are helping out with leading groups for TAP and gardening.  For over two years I had a desire in my heart to combine those two passions.  TAP is about participating in life, and for 20 plus years I have seen people whom I have worked with as a speech therapist talk about their love of working with plants, and seen the sadness in their eyes when they would say they just couldn’t do it anymore because of their challenges in this new life with aphasia and physical limitations.  And as we know aphasia can get us off track from the things we love and have passion for, but going in steps, TAP gets us back to the business of living.

Everyone who knows Thomas, knows that he has never met a stranger, before and after his stroke. His position as a  industrial business development manager for a design-build, construction company was a perfect fit. He had brought in 90 percent  of the work in 2013, and 2014 was looking good. He traveled most of the Southeastern coast, visiting with potential clients, getting to know them personally as well as professionally.

It was May of 2014 when Thomas was asked by his manager to go to Florida to visit a few targeted plant sites to determine if his company could offer their services.  The plan was for us to drive to Florida by way of Charleston, call on a few of his established clients, and drive to the Tampa Bay area to visit with my recently widowed mother for Mother’s Day. I would stay in Florida and fly to the home front at a later time. He would drive to northern Florida, call on those targeted accounts, then drive home.