Luc Smith was just 16 when he suddenly became lightheaded and felt his face drooping while at his mate Finlay's house to rehearse with his band, Preoccupied in April 2025. The now 17-year-old from Stornoway initially thought he was “just having a wee turn” and thought it would pass in minutes.
But his friends David Finlayson, 17, Donnie Styles, 17, Josh Brown, 18, and Finlay Macleod, 18, realised something was seriously wrong. Speaking to the Record, the young guitarist told how it all unfolded.
Friends Recognised Stroke Symptoms
He said: “I had gone up to my mate’s house for a band practice then all of a sudden, I started to feel funny. I was lightheaded and I could feel my face drooping. I thought I was just having a wee turn and that I’d be fine in 10 minutes.
“However, my friends recognised that something serious was happening even before I did. My friend Finlay ran out of the room and told his parents, ‘Something is really wrong with Luc’.”
An ambulance was called but never arrived, with Luc having to be rushed to Western Isles Hospital in Finlay's neighbour's campervan. From there, the teenager was flown to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where scans revealed that his body had already broken down the clots in his brain.
Recovery and Fundraising
Luc, who spent four days in hospital, said he still cannot believe how close he may have come to tragedy. He continued: “I was so lucky that my friends were so alert and noticed I was having a stroke. I had no idea I had one at the time - I only found out once I arrived in Glasgow.
“I can’t believe I had a stroke at just 16-years-old. It’s not something you associate with young people.
“If I had been alone and not with my pals, who knows what could have happened - I could have died.
“My bandmates saved my life. They are not just my friends, they are also my heroes.”
Luc was born with a hole in his heart, but it had never caused him problems. However, the likely cause of the stroke was identified by doctors as a PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) stroke, a condition where a small opening between the right and left atria fails to close naturally after birth.
The talented singer underwent surgery in February to close the hole in his heart and attended occupational and neuro-rehabilitation therapy during his recovery. He still attends food therapy because he has struggled with eating since the stroke.
Fundraising Event to Thank Medical Teams
To thank the medical professionals who helped Luc through the medical emergency and his recovery, Preoccupied are holding a fundraising event at Laxdale Hall on August 29 with covers of hits from Oasis, the Stone Roses and the Arctic Monkeys. Money raised will support NHS Occupational Therapy services, The Monday Stroke Club and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.
Luc added: "I really wanted to give back to those who helped me. I wasn't allowed to play sports, play for my football team or go to the gym, so playing guitar helped regain strength in my hands.
"Music got me through the hard times. Hopefully the money we raise through music, will help others do the same.
"We have had a great response so far, it’s amazing to see."
