When I was 16, I suffered from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. I was home alone on a summer day in July, kicking back, watching Netflix and relaxing like most kids do in the summertime. I had no clue what would happen next. I blacked out for about 25 minutes and woke up to an insane feeling in my head. To this day, I tell people the feeling I felt is indescribable in that moment.

I managed to call 911 and they found me by using the location on the landline. They made it to me just in time and I was rushed to a local hospital. At this local hospital, I was suddenly only three things: 16, Black and a female.

I was rushed to get a CT scan and as soon as the providers saw the brain bleed, I was life flighted to the Medical Center in Houston so that I could be rushed into surgery. When I awoke the next day, my head was shaved and I was confused.

Today, I am 26 years old and I am a Sales Executive for a major Healthcare IT company. I graduated both high school and college with Honors and I lead an amazing support group filled with other survivors just like myself. My story is rare!

Connecting with other survivors through JNF has been the biggest benefit I’ve found. Knowing there are survivors in my age range going through the same experiences I went through and still continue to go through makes me feel supported and heard!  I would like to help other survivors as well and am proud to be the support group leader for the Young Adult Online Support Group.

I’m often reminded of Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote ‘The best view comes after the hardest climb’. I have found this to be true in my life post aneurysm. I’m so thankful for my friends and family and how far I’ve come in my journey.

Raising awareness for AVMs and Aneurysms is beyond important, the more we share about them, the more lives can be touched.