Man has "miracle" recovery after heart defect causes rare massive stroke
One year after a massive stroke nearly incapacitated him, Todd Meiklejohn is opening up about his experience.
Todd Meiklejohn's day was off to a normal, albeit early, start on Aug. 8, 2025. The teacher, who works in adult education, had risen around 6 a.m. to attend an early morning meeting. His wife, a nurse, had already left to go to the gym. He was going through the steps of his morning routine when he felt a sudden, squeezing pain .
From there, his memory is blurry. He could only see out of one eye. He couldn't move his right side. He said he remained conscious but had no idea what was happening.
"I must have exited the bathroom. I went down on the wall, and I just remember the paralysis on my right side," Meiklejohn said.
Meiklejohn tried to stand, but couldn't. For the accomplished athlete and biker, he said the weakness was terrifying.
"I just kept falling," he said. "I just didn't have enough strength."
About 45 minutes after Meiklejohn fell, his wife came home on her way to work and found him on the ground. She called 911 immediately. He was rushed to Miami Neuroscience Institute at Baptist Health, where doctors determined he was having a massive stroke .