Watch Woman Who Survived Stroke After Being Born With Rare Condition
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A woman who survived stroke after being born with a rare defect is now a disability rights advocate who spoke out in an attempt to share her story and inspire other people with disabilities.
24-year-old Courtney Gabrus from New York was born with an ultra-rare muscle-weakening condition caused by a defect in the LMNA gene that is believed to affect only one in a million.
By the time the girl was 16 years old, the condition took its toll to the point Courtney couldn’t walk unaided any longer.
Six years later, on December 2016, the then-22-year-old also suffered a stroke that paralyzed the entire side of the girl’s body and left her unable to speak.
“I went to bed on Friday and I was like, ‘Oh my god, Mom, I’m having a heart attack, like I can’t feel my arm,’” Ms. Gabrus said in an interview with Barcroft TV.
“We went to the hospital, but I wanted to leave. I’m so stubborn I’m like, ‘No, I want to go home.’ My mom is like, ‘No Courtney, you have to stay just be patient.’
“I woke up three days later with no voice, no arms, nothing in my head. And I couldn’t speak, I saw my friends all surrounding me and they looked so confused, I was confused.”
Following the tragedy, Courtney felt hopeless, as her voice was always her strength when it came to raising awareness about people with disabilities.
“When the stroke came, I was so lonely because no one knew what would happen,” she added.
“I reached out to the internet and just kind of found disabled bloggers. It was interesting to see people that don’t necessarily have my gene defect but muscular dystrophy and where they’re at.”
Thanks to the relentless support of her family and her best friend, Courtney was once again able to feel determined to make a change in the world.
Together with her best friend Jamie, the 24-year-old founded a company that focuses on promoting welfare and support for people with disabilities.
“Courtney after her stroke was just my rock, she’s always been my rock. But especially after the stroke, I found a new inspiration source from her,” Jamie said.
“She is a badass because she has overcome life’s hardest challenges. I know she has healed me; I know she has the power to heal so many people.”
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