Stroke Survivors Reunite with Paramedics and Caregivers to Celebrate Lives Saved

Memorial Neuroscience Institute clinicians

Memorial Neuroscience Institute welcomed local EMS crews to Memorial Regional Hospital’s conference center in Hollywood, honoring them for their work while reuniting them with stroke survivors alive today, in part because of their timely efforts. The event, which took place on May 1, 2025, recognized the critical role of rapid response, expert care, and coordinated teamwork in the chain of stroke survival and recovery.  

Did you know? Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds; every 3.5 minutes, someone dies from one. Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability nationwide.

In light of these sobering statistics and in recognition of May being National Stroke Awareness Month, Memorial Healthcare System and its neuroscience institute hosted a powerful reunion event that brought stroke survivors face-to-face with the emergency responders and medical teams that helped save their lives.

Maddy Jean Lous (center) and her caregivers

The following survivors attended and shared their life saving stories and gratitude to the first responders and medical teams involved.

Noelia Gutierrez was 29-years-old and eight days post-partum when a complete blockage of the artery supplying blood to her brain stem caused a stroke that had her nearly comatose upon arrival at Memorial. Following her recovery, an in collaboration with the American Stroke Association, she has dedicated her efforts to raising stroke awareness in the Hispanic community through the B.E.F.A.S.T. (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time) and RÁPIDO programs that teach the public to act quickly when stroke symptoms appear. (Noelia was honored with the “Stroke Ambassador Award.”)

Dr. Brijesh Mehta, Noelia Gutierrez, Dr. Brandon Davis

Madeliene Jean Louis was just 16-years-old and dancing in a show at her high school when she suffered a major stroke caused by a rare inflammatory disease. The teen has endured numerous procedures, therapies, and rehabilitation to regain her fine motor abilities, which now include braiding her own hair and that of others.

Dr. Norman Ajiboye, Maddy Jean Louis

64-year-old Mariam Sattar presented to Memorial with blood accumulating in the tissue of her brain, the result of a rupture of tangled blood vessels called an arteriovenous malformation. She underwent two procedures to drain the blood clot and prevent any further bleeding.

Miriam Sattar (fifth from left) with family, Memorial stroke clinicians, and Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue

Memorial Neuroscience Institute offers advanced diagnoses, comprehensive treatment, compassionate care, and rehabilitation for complex neurological conditions. Few centers can match the depth of its neurological expertise or the wide range of available services.

Part of the Memorial Healthcare System and recognized for its quality and safety, the institute treats conditions of the brain that include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, tumors, epilepsy, stroke, andsubarachnoid hemorrhages, as well as issues of the neck, back, and spine.

To learn more about the complete continuum of neurological care Memorial provides, visit www.mhs.net/services/neuroscience.

By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Memorial Healthcare System