I have always loved trekking and adventure. In early August, I travelled to Manali to trek to a base camp. My wedding was fixed for December, and I felt like everything was finally falling into place. But on 14th August, during the trek, I suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed. Doctors told me that a clot on the right side of my brain had caused a severe stroke, leaving the entire left side of my body paralysed. Along with that, my wedding and future life is also on hold.

'I was independent once and loved taking care of others...today I am helpless'

I was admitted to a small hospital in Manali and kept in the ICU for two days. With landslides and roadblocks cutting us off, my family could do nothing but wait, feeling helpless as my condition grew worse. On 17th August, I was finally taken by road to Chandigarh and then Delhi since I was too weak to fly. The journey itself was exhausting, and by the time I reached Delhi, I was slipping further away from myself...I could feel my body giving up on me. For 15 long days I was connected to machines just to stay alive. Every hour felt like a battle, and my family stood by my side praying that I would hold on.



In September, I was shifted to Mumbai by train ambulance. After weeks in critical care, I was moved to a physiotherapy centre. That is where my next battle began. My recovery has started, but it is painfully slow and full of uncertainty. I had always been independent, earning for my family and planning a future of my own. Now even the smallest part of my day — eating, resting, or simply being cared for — depends on someone else. It is a painful reminder of how much my life has changed overnight.

'Moving hurts and I cannot speak… I feel trapped inside my own body'

Today, I am conscious but unable to speak because of the tracheal tube removal. I understand everything happening around me, but I cannot express myself. My left side remains paralysed, and I have no movement in my legs. Since physiotherapy has started, there are small signs of improvement, but doctors say that recovery will take at least six months of continuous treatment and care.

It is frustrating to be fully aware of my surroundings yet feel so powerless.  Every small movement I regain through therapy feels like a hard-won battle, and I hold on to the hope that with enough care, I will one day return to a normal life.

'My family has nothing left to help me bounce back, your support is my last hope'

So far, my treatment has cost my family around ₹17 lakhs, and at least another couple of lakhs will be needed. Before my stroke, I earned a decent salary maintaining ATMs for a private company, and I was the main earning member of the household. Now, I cannot work or provide for them. My younger brother who just got a job, is doing his best to repay the loans we have taken from friends and relatives.
My father, who had an accident in 2019, is retired and cannot work. My mother is a housewife, and my sister is already managing the challenges of raising a child with thalassemia. Even my marriage has been put on hold, though my fiancée continues to stand by me through all of this.



I have lost my speech and my mobility, and without continued treatment and physiotherapy, I may never recover. My family has fought with everything they had to keep me alive, but now we have nothing left. Your support can help me get through this long road to recovery, regain my strength, and one day stand on my feet again.



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