COLUMBIA, S.C. — Last February, News19 introduced you to 13-year-old Daniel Ahtonen, who had suffered a stroke while at Furman Middle School in Sumter County.
Friday, Daniel’s grandmother, Rhonda Ahtonen, recalled the day no one realized her grandson was having a stroke.
“His speech was getting slurred, and he had some weakness. He was having trouble standing. They never in a million years thought he was having a stroke. It doesn’t happen to 13-year-olds," Rhonda said.
Eventually, Daniel was taken to a hospital in Sumter, where doctors ordered a C.T. scan. The scan revealed Daniel had experienced a stroke. Because of his condition, Daniel was transported to Prisma Children's Hospital in Columbia.
At Prisma, doctors eventually found a five-centimeter aneurysm, which they said led to a hemorrhagic stroke, something that even most adults don’t survive.
Daniel was confined to a hospital bed, unable to move portions of his body. Eventually, he would be released but wasn’t allowed to resume normal activity for fear the aneurysm would rupture.
Daniel recalled how his life changed after the stroke.
"I used to love going skating and I was getting so good to the point where I could skate backwards, but then this stroke just came along and knocked that all down," Daniel said.
But this week, Daniel and his family received some surprisingly good news.
"The scan Thursday showed that the aneurysm has not only shrunk, but it had also disappeared," Rhonda Ahtonen said.
The American Stroke Association says stroke has no age limits. When a stroke happens, time is of the essence, whether it's adults, children or infants.
The warning signs of a stroke can best be remembered with the acronym FAST.
Symptoms of a stroke include:
- Face drooping
- Arm weakness
- Speech issues
If someone is experiencing any of these symptoms, that's where the T comes in: It’s Time to call 9-1-1.
Because of his amazing progress, Daniel has been cleared to resume normal activities. Whether jogging, playing soccer or riding an e-bike, Daniel always has a smile on his face.
When asked what would be next for him and his family, Daniel didn't hesitate to answer.
"The first thing I want to do is go to Carowinds (amusement park) and ride all of the rides," he said.