CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina man is sharing his journey to regain control after a ruptured brain aneurysm nearly took his life. He hopes his story helps others.
What You Need To Know
A ruptured brain aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on an artery that balloons and then bursts, releasing blood into the brain
According to John Hopkins Medicine, 46% of patients die after a ruptured brain aneurysm
Jashun Gaddy says after he experienced the aneurysm he started working out to rebuild his strength
Jashun Gaddy is a familiar face at Planet Fitness in west Charlotte. He has been coming to the gym for the last decade. He didn’t used to go to the gym very often, but a life-changing event got him moving.
“Just like five movements, and I can feel the difference,” Gaddy said.
Gaddy says he loves the people and positivity at Planet Fitness. Twenty years ago Gaddy suffered from a ruptured brain aneurysm. It disrupted his normal functions, which made it hard to walk or talk.
“Sometimes I have to be very aware of my feet,” Gaddy said.
He has come a long way, thanks to his exercise routine, but he wants people to understand how he got this far. When he was in high school his parents, Mary and Archie Gaskins, say he seemed perfectly healthy.
“He was energetic, smart, adventurous and never shy,” Mary Gaskins said.
But that all changed in Gaddy’s senior year of college. The ruptured brain aneurysm caused bleeding in his brain, which damaged or killed several brain cells.
“The aneurysm that he had on a scale of 1-5, his doctor said he was a 4.5,” Archie Gaskins said. “The doctor said anything beyond a four, your quality of life was not promising.”
Gaddy was in a coma for a month, and when he finally woke up he had to re-learn how to do basic functions like talk, walk or eat. Gaddy says it was like learning everything as a child.
“For speech, the early sessions were just looking at pictures and seeing if I could tell the difference between girl and boy,” Gaddy said.
He says it wasn’t easy. But he learned to cherish small victories, like improving his speed time during a fitness regime. When he first started a stair-stepping routine with his trainer he completed it in 14 minutes and eventually he brought that time down to 10 minutes. Gaddy says it also helped him to connect with people who had similar experiences.
“There aren’t a lot of personal stories out there, especially dealing with personal emotions,” Gaddy said.
He recently co-hosted a podcast on brain injuries and medical emergencies. He wants to do more shows in hopes that it helps someone else.
“I just want to be a voice and showcase other voices of people and tell their stories,” Gaddy said.
Gaddy’s parents say doctors aren’t exactly sure what caused his aneurysm, but they suspect he may have been born with weakened blood vessels.
According to the Neurological Institute of Neurological Disorders, other factors that increase risk include smoking, high blood pressure, family history or a head injury. Symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm include extremely severe headache, double vision, seizures and more. If you suspect someone is experiencing one, make sure to call 9-1-1.
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