Jennifer Goldman of Old Westbury, NY, with her mother Caryn Hirshleifer

Just days before turning 31, Jennifer experienced a life-changing hemorrhagic stroke. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to regain her independence and share her journey of recovery. Alongside her mother, she co-authored the book In the Face of Catastrophe: How a Traumatic Brain Injury Became a Blessing. Her story now serves as an inspiration to others and a reminder of the importance of stroke awareness..

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BAF: Tell us a little about your connection with brain aneurysms.

JG: On August 18, 2021, I had a hemorrhagic stroke three days before my 31^st birthday. I had been in perfect health and led a very active life working out daily, hiking, meditating, skiing, etc. Out of the blue, I had a major brain bleed. I lost all use of the right side of my body, my peripheral vision, and I was so cognitively impaired that I lost my ability to speak. Since that time, I have been working every single day to regain the use of the right side of my body, to improve my cognition, and to return as best as possible to the independent productive life I had been leading. About six months after I got home from inpatient rehab, my mother and I started to write a book about the experiences of my family and me as we journeyed together through this time. The book. In the Face of Catastrophe: How a Traumatic Brain Injury Became a Blessing, was published on August 6, 2024. 

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BAF: When did you first learn about the BAF?

JG: I learned about the BAF when I was contacted by my neurosurgeon, Dr. Henry Woo, who asked me to speak at the Brain Aneurysm Foundation Long Island Walk that was held in September. I had been a motivational speaker before my stroke and had wanted to use the experience of my stroke to talk to people about healing and the power of positivity. Dr. Woo’s invitation to speak at the BAF event became my first post-stroke engagement and it was both terrifying and exhilarating being back to what I loved doing. Connecting with survivors and family members left me feeling empowered as I saw how my words could make a difference.

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BAF: Why is it important for you to be an advocate for the BAF community?

JG: Strokes can happen to anyone at any time in their life. What saved my life was the fact that my father was a doctor and, recognizing my symptoms, was able to immediately get me to the hospital for treatment. It’s important for others who don’t have a doctor in their family to be able to know the signs and symptoms so that they can have the ability to act. It’s important for us to spread awareness and that is one of the missions of the BAF. 

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