A dad who suffered a stroke when he was aged 32 and told paramedics he felt like he was dying is inspiring others who suffer from the condition as he recovers. 

Daniel Hulston, from Bury, now aged 33, suffered a stroke in 2022 which left him in hospital for more than half a year.

Daniel was left partially paralysed and had serious cognitive and mental health problems.

He now wants people to know that they can recover, and life does not have to be over after a stroke.

Daniel collapsed on the bathroom floor while looking after his daughter.

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After calling 999 and being rushed to hospital, doctors had to operate on Daniel’s brain after a major bleed, which had caused the stroke.

Doctors discovered that the blood vessel that burst was something Daniel was born with and could have happened at any time.

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He said: “I thought I was having a heart attack.

“I called 999 and told them I couldn’t move and that I felt like I was dying.

“After that I honestly can’t remember much at all until I woke up in intensive care a few weeks later.”

Daniel spent seven months in Salford Royal Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital in Bury for rehabilitation.

He has been left with foot drop, which causes difficulty in lifting or moving feet and toes, and is unable to use his left arm or left foot.

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However, Daniel said that the effect on his mental health has been one of the toughest challenges.

He said: “I felt like I had to start again after my stroke, I was in a wheelchair and not in a good place at all.

“During my recovery I’ve had so many falls, it was so deflating, and it’s had a massive effect on me mentally too, I was very depressed and in a dark and lonely place.

“I’ve had so many moments when I wanted to give up, I had no fight in me at all but when this happened, I just reminded myself that this wasn’t just about me, I was doing it for the people I loved too.

“When I started moving again, I was like, ‘look at the reactions of people around me’ that’s what inspired me to keep going.

“I look at the people around me that care about me and see what it means to them, this isn’t just about me anymore.”

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For extra motivation, Daniel has shot videos to document his progress, from swimming with one arm to getting back to the driving range, returning to the gym and even taking on a triathlon this year.

He wants to inspire others who are in a similar position.

Daniel added: “I wanted to document everything in my recovery from start to finish just to show there is hope so that’s why I started making the videos.

“I’ve needed to turn the positives into the negatives, I need to rewire those broken pathways in my brain.

“In my mind I will be 100 per cent one day!

“Life doesn’t have to be over after your stroke.

“I’m back at the gym, going to the football, going to gigs and doing the things I love, with the people I love.

“Life may be different after your stroke but you can adapt, I’m still here, improving every day and I’m so proud of the position I’ve got myself in.”

For more information on the causes and signs of stroke, visit the Stroke Association at stroke.org.uk.