“He had a stroke 15 years ago, he has a bit of aphasia with his speech, but we will be fine.”

“I was an entrepreneur and ran a company that made dual laminates. All of a sudden, I had a stroke.”

“He was 55 and at work. Another company had bought him out and he was working as a sales rep for them. I had just gotten off the phone with him. He used to do his own race cars and someone hit him at Road Atlanta and they think they kinked the carotid artery. He is happy now and likes being at home.”

“That is true. I am happy and content. I was in recovery for about five years.”

“The adjustment period was tough for him because he was so dynamic being around people and talking. He loved being a sales rep. He tried to work for a year after but couldn’t talk and get across what he wanted to say.”

“Not being able to talk used to be frustrating, but now it is enjoyment. You are not subject to any laws other than life.”

“His children like it better now because he listens. Before it was more about his opinion. It slows your world down and you enjoy life more.”

“That was the opposite of me. I was go, go, go. It took me five years of searching of why this happened to me. It was agonizing, then I realized that God slowed me down. It gave me peace but I also had to go through many tortures of Hell. In the end, I realized God did everything for me and I didn’t appreciate it.”

“You go through life and do what you are supposed to do and you don’t appreciate what you have, family, children and neighbors. You don’t stop and enjoy life. Before, we would have never slowed down to have this lunch outside.”

“This is heaven compared to what I used to do. A threat to life makes you realize that of which no greater can be thought is God. When you piece it all together, it is a miracle.”

“We were married five months when he had the stroke. We went through tough times and how to pay for this? Then I started losing family member including my mother, father and brother and I went into depression. It came full circle and back around to needing just what we have. I needed to focus on living and the people still here. This picnic is as good as it gets.”

“This is as good as it gets.”