A young Dubliner who suffered a stroke just 48 hours after proposing is raising awareness for a 5k "love run" for the Irish Heart Foundation.
31-year-old Andrew Carr popped the question to his partner Bernadette on Valentines Day 2021 but was rushed to Beaumont hospital two days later.
The Coolock native works in Trinity College and had just finished his shift when his speech began to slur and he felt numbness on the left side of his body.
Doctors found a hole in his heart and a CT scan and follow up MRI confirmed the stroke.
Andrew remained in hospital for eight days.
The Dubliner said he "wasn't the same person after I had my stroke".
He said: "I wasn’t thinking like I used to.
"Recuperation was tough, memory was affected and I still have to work on my speech; it is 97% perfect but when I get tired it starts to get muddled, the fatigue is also very difficult."
After his stroke, Andrew was referred to the Irish Heart Foundation’s Stroke Connect service.
He spoke highly of the service and described it as "a light in the darkness".
“It’s good to listen to someone who has been there. It’s nice that someone can say how you are feeling when you don’t know how to say it yourself. It was a good opportunity to build up your confidence.
“After I had the stroke I didn’t have the confidence to talk. The group allowed me to learn from other people. That was invaluable.
“When I was in the hospital I just wanted to get home to show Bernadette that I was OK but I don’t think I would have done that well without the service afterwards."
Surgeons successfully closed the hole in Andrew's heart last September and he is recovering well.
He has started back at work as a member of the Erasmus Team at Trinity College Dublin and will get married to his partner Bernadette next September.
He is taking part in a 5k 'Love Run' to raise money for the Irish Heart Foundation and is asking others to support the fundraiser.
The run takes place on Valentine's weekend, February 12-13. Participants can complete the run wherever they choose around Ireland.
You can register for the run for €25 at irishheart.ie.
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