A super-fit father-of-four from Missouri says he is lucky to be alive after turning his head ‘too quickly’ caused him to sever an artery and suffer three strokes. Joel Hentrich, 35, was playing pickleball with friends when he turned his head and felt a popping sensation in the back of his neck.
His vision immediately became blurry, he experienced vertigo, began projectile vomiting, and felt tingling in his face, hand, and leg. He was rushed to hospital where scans revealed he had internally severed his left vertebral artery, triggering three strokes in his lower cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for muscle control, balance, and movement.
Joel, from Festus, Missouri, said: ‘As a 35-year-old healthy guy, those are words that you just never expect to hear. It hit me like a tonne of bricks - you don't think that these things will actually happen to you.’ He credits quick treatment for his recovery, with no lasting physical deficits.
Footage captured in hospital shows the emotional moment Joel stood up to walk for the first time after the accident. He is now keen to raise awareness of stroke symptoms and the importance of seeking medical care within a specific time to prevent irreversible damage.
Joel had felt a pinched nerve in his neck the week before but thought it would go away. He said: ‘I went out there that day and was just playing a regular game, nothing strenuous. I just turned my head quickly to the left to try and track a ball. I felt a pop in the back of my neck.’
He was initially told to wait in the waiting room but was seen by another nurse who activated the stroke protocol, leading to a CT scan within 20 minutes. Joel said: ‘I'm extremely lucky that I got treatment in the time that I did because I don't have any lasting physical deficits.’
