SOUTH BEND, IN (WSBT) — Recognizing the signs of stroke and knowing to seek care right away can make a big difference in the amount of harm it could end up doing to your body.
Dylan Friar, 39, of Niles, said his stroke in January 2026 was a wakeup call and a lesson learned for him.
Friar said he first thought it was a migraine that was causing some vision issues but didn’t realize the kaleidoscope-like effect he was noticing in his vision was being caused by a blood clot.
WSBT
He woke up one morning and couldn’t control his right hand. He also couldn’t speak clearly to his girlfriend. She then called an ambulance and Dylan was rushed to Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital in Niles.
“They realized I was having a stroke. Or, had a stroke. They scanned my brain right away and they knew that I needed to go to Memorial instantly,” he said.
Images taken while at Lakeland revealed a blood clot in Dylan’s brain. Those images were already being reviewed by doctors at Memorial Hospital in South Bend during transport before he even arrived.
“Everything happened all at the right time for it not to progress into something worse because of how quickly everybody moved,” said Friar.
Recognizing the signs of stroke and knowing to seek care right away can make a big difference in the amount of harm it could end up doing to your body. (WSBT photo)
Dr. Jose Lopez, medical director of Memorial Hospital’s stroke program, said that coordinated care is crucial in this type of situation because every second counts. Lopez said it’s best to call an ambulance to get to a hospital and not drive yourself.
“What happens in that decision is that the paramedics aren’t able to activate the doctors and the nurses that are waiting for that patient to be cared for expediently upon arrival,” said Dr. Lopez.
Recognizing the signs of stroke and knowing to seek care right away can make a big difference in the amount of harm it could end up doing to your body. (WSBT photo)
Dylan ended up having the clot removed in a process called a thrombectomy, essentially removing the clot via a catheter through the arteries to his brain. Dr. Lopez said Beacon Health System is the only center within a 70-mile radius that can perform such a procedure. It’s a major benefit to the community when time is of the essence.
“For every hour that goes by, 122 million neurons die off, and we don’t get those back,” said Dr. Lopez.
If you or someone you know suspects a stroke is happening, Dr. Lopez said to remember the words “Be Fast.” Each letter represents an acute change in the body to look out for. B for Balance. E for Eye changes. F for facial asymmetry. A for arm asymmetry. S for speech changes. And, if you notice changes in any of those areas, it’s “T”– time to call 911.
Recognizing the signs of stroke and knowing to seek care right away can make a big difference in the amount of harm it could end up doing to your body. (WSBT photo)
As for Dylan, he now wears a monitor to watch his heart’s rhythm and is getting ultrasounds and bloodwork done to better pinpoint what caused the clot– a lesson learned to keep a better eye on his health no matter how old he may be.
“I can’t just assume that I’m going to fully recover from it because I wasn’t going to on my own,” said Friar.
Dr. Lopez said 83 percent of strokes are preventable. There are 8 particular risk factors that’ve been identified by the American Stoke Association in terms of reducing the risk of stroke. Those include:
- Cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Blood Pressure
- Weight
- Diet
- Exercise
- Not smoking
- Sleep
