Hey Reader,

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April 17, 2021, was supposed to be a day of celebration—a farewell party for my husband as we prepared for our family’s next adventure with his Navy duty station changing from Washington DC to San Diego, CA. We were still practicing social distancing (COVID), with his party being outside at a local brewery. The party was alive with laughter, stories, and a bittersweet sense of goodbye. I was chatting with friends, soaking in the moment, when the unexpected happened—a moment that changed my life forever.

It started subtly. A party attendee, mid-conversation with me, noticed something wasn’t quite right. My speech was off, slurred in a way that hadn’t been before. They alerted my husband, who quickly came over. That’s when he saw it: the unmistakable droop on the left side of my face.

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In that split second, our celebration turned into an emergency. My husband remembered the acronym FAST:

• Face: Is one side of the face drooping?
• Arms: Can the person raise both arms?
• Speech: Is their speech slurred or strange?
• Time: If you see any of these signs, it’s time to call 911.

He didn’t hesitate. Recognizing the symptoms, he acted quickly, and I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Looking back now, I know those swift actions saved my life.

The acronym FAST is more than a guideline—it’s a lifeline. Recognizing these signs of a stroke and acting immediately can be the difference between life and death, or between full recovery and lasting deficits.

Since my stroke, I’ve made it my mission to raise awareness about the importance of FAST. My story could be yours, a loved one’s, or a stranger’s. By knowing these simple signs, you have the power to save a life—just as mine was saved that day.

To learn more about stroke symptoms, prevention, carotid webbing (a rare cause of stroke) and recovery, visit Stroke Talks—a platform dedicated to raising awareness and offering support for stroke survivors and their families.

This week, take a moment to share the FAST acronym with someone you care about. You never know whose life it might save.

And remember: when it comes to stroke symptoms, every second counts.

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