When Will Crockett, a 25-year-old marketing strategist at Baptist Health, woke up one Saturday morning in July 2025, he had no idea he was experiencing the early signs of a stroke. After feeling what he described as “a water balloon popped in my head,” Crockett continued with his day, believing it was nothing serious.
“I didn’t get checked out until Tuesday because I didn’t think it was that serious,” Crockett said. “It never occurred to me that I could be having a stroke.”
Crockett initially thought he was experiencing his first migraine and called his mother to share the news. Over the weekend, he experienced severe headaches and three episodes of temporary vision loss in one eye, symptoms known as retinal or ocular migraines.
On Monday, Crockett mentioned these symptoms to a colleague on the Baptist Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center team. The colleague advised him to seek medical attention due to the sudden onset of migraine accompanied by vision loss.
By Tuesday, Crockett had an appointment with Dr. Nima Amin Aghaebrahim, neurointerventionalist at Baptist Lyerly Neurosurgery and system medical director for stroke at Baptist Health. An MRI performed at Baptist Medical Center South revealed that Crockett had suffered an ischemic stroke in his occipital lobe—the area responsible for vision.
“Although ischemic strokes are more common than hemorrhagic strokes, which are caused by burst or weakened blood vessels, it’s unusual for someone as young as Will to have a stroke because he didn’t have any significant risk factors and is otherwise healthy,” Dr. Nima said. “In general, common risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, history of smoking and obesity, but Will didn’t have any of these.”
Further tests were conducted to rule out additional risks or blockages. Crockett spent two nights under observation at Baptist South with Dr. Steven Toenjes from Baptist Neurology Group overseeing his care.
Three months after the incident, Crockett reported nearly full recovery: “I’m feeling almost back to normal now,” he said. “I’m still a little sensitive to light and sound, but for the most part, I’m able to live life the way I did before the stroke. It’s still shocking to think I had a stroke at 25.”
Despite extensive testing since then, doctors have not identified a clear cause for his stroke. As preventive measures against future incidents, Crockett now takes baby aspirin daily and cholesterol medication.
“I never imagined that I was having a stroke, but I’m so glad I mentioned it to my colleague who encouraged me to get it checked out,” said Crockett. “That’s my message to young adults: If something doesn’t feel right with your balance, vision, face or voice, or you’re in pain, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor, go to the Emergency Room or call 911.”
Dr. Nima added: “Stroke is common and it can happen to anyone at any age. It’s important to never ignore possible signs of stroke because every minute it’s left untreated could mean additional damage to the brain. At Baptist Health we have a comprehensive program where patients can not only be treated in the Emergency Room but also receive follow-up care to prevent future strokes.”
Baptist Health offers information about its Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center on its website as well as monthly support groups for survivors of strokes and their families.
A stroke is considered a medical emergency; immediate action such as calling 911 is recommended if symptoms appear.
