At 35 years old, a vital young woman was struck down by a devastating stroke; she was told she would never walk or speak again. Most people, especially at her age, would have given up and resigned themselves to life in a wheelchair and dependence on others.
But not Sharhonda. She was not about to give up but threw herself into a lifetime of recovery that has proven the experts wrong.
Not that there weren’t daily disappointments, setbacks, and discouragement. But Sharhonda credits her friends and loved ones for their constant encouragement and support that kept her resolve strong and her determination a constant companion.
“I have a strong village behind me,” Shahronda said. “Family, friends, I have a whole lot of people behind me that (are) not going to let me sink into that ‘pity’ party and stay there.”
“It will be a lifetime (of recovery) I’m sure,” she continued. “The brain is a funny thing, (but) I’m so much further along than they thought I would be, and I’m still seeing recovery.”
While most people in her situation would still be asking why this happened to them, Sharhonda says she KNOWS the reason this happened…it is a gift from God.
“The first few months were horrible,” she remembered. “I was 35 years old, and you’re telling me my life is over? No, I couldn’t stand for that! I had too much living to do.”
In the beginning, Shahronda did what anyone who faces adversity to that degree would do; she asked, “Why did this happen to me?” Now, she says, she knows why, and it’s the best thing that ever happened to her.
“My purpose was for me to help other people…to be inspirational. And” she added, “I was able to be here with my mom during her last days. If this hadn’t happened, I would have still been in Detroit, I would have still been working, and I wouldn’t have been able to spend time with my mom before she passed.”
Sharhonda is determined to be a shining light of encouragement every day, even when she’s having a bad day. She posts uplifting messages on her Facebook page every day and volunteers her help to others who have had strokes or need other assistance by giving them rides or just having a conversation with them to uplift their spirits.
Sharhonda’s advice to others who are struggling with similar issues is, “Enjoy the ride, because your life is about to get hilarious!” With an attitude like that, it’s not surprising to see how much progress Sharhonda has made since her stroke and how uplifting she is to others.
