RICHMOND, Va. — Chris Hayes walks through the familiar halls of Johnston-Willis Hospital and enters the pharmacy, greeting co-workers and settling into his routine. It's a scene he's repeated countless times over his 25-year career, but one that seemed impossible just five months ago.
On May 8, Hayes was at the gym when he noticed his arm going numb. After struggling to fasten his seatbelt, he drove to a nearby Kroger on Huguenot Road, where he realized something was seriously wrong.
"I went into the bathroom, and someone coming out of the bathroom, and the lady called the ambulance," Hayes said.
The ambulance rushed him to Johnston-Willis Hospital, where his wife Kim and specialized medical teams were waiting. The hospital staff immediately began working to dissolve the clot that was causing his stroke.
"They quickly took him, gave him T and K to really help dissolve the clot, spent hours removing the clot," Kim Hayes said. "I'm so thankful for the effort that they took to remove the clot, and then 10 days in the hospital, really setting him up for success when he was discharged."
"I just think that the the team here really did enormous job to me, with the with the speech therapists here, the nurses, physicians, my family praying for me, did a phenomenal job," said Chris Hayes.
Hayes' experience reflects a sobering national reality. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke, making it the fifth leading cause of death and disability. However, strokes are largely preventable with proper awareness and medical intervention.
The recovery journey has been transformative for the Hayes family. Chris, who could barely speak five months ago, now celebrates each milestone in his healing process.
"I don't think we ever think it's going to be our family member," said Kim Hayes. "Chris had a-fib. We knew clearly he had a-fib, but he was low risk for stroke. And I think maybe it's in the back of your mind, but you never think of it. But here we were on May 8, it was evident that he had stroke."
"There wasn't anything more important than him, and it's still that way," Kim Hayes added. "I think it's changed our priorities a bit, slowing down, a bit, enjoying the moment."
For Chris, returning to work represents more than professional achievement—it's a testament to his determination and the support he received.
"It was catastrophic but the good Lord was with me," Hayes said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I'm still alive and I'm able to be back at work."
On World Stroke Day, Hayes joins other stroke survivors Wednesday night at the hospital where he both works and received life-saving treatment. His recovery continues with intensive speech therapy, which he plans to pursue for as long as necessary. Kim pointed out aphasia and intelligence have no correlation.
The pharmacist's journey from emergency patient to returning employee illustrates the critical importance of immediate medical response and comprehensive rehabilitation in stroke recovery.
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