A Mohegan Lake man was caught on camera in a terrifying moment that could have caused him life-altering brain damage.

Raymond Ross met a delivery driver outside his home back on April 29 when he noticed something was wrong.

"As soon as I started walking towards the driveway, that's when I started to feel weird and awkward and I started to lose my balance at that point," said Ross.

He was having a stroke, something a healthy, active 40-year-old family man would likely never expect.

"It was definitely really scary. I said I didn't understand what was happening until I was in the ambulance, and they started giving me the tests," he said.

The risk of stroke increases with age, but doctors say even young people can experience one.

"Young people can have a stroke as well, but they may not understand or recognize that they're having a stroke," said. Dr. Ji Chong, neurologist and director of the stroke department at the Westchester Medical Center.

Chong said all people should know the signs of stroke, which can be remembered with the phrase "be fast."

"B is for balance, E is for eyes, so loss of vision," she explained.

A new measure in New York requires EMS personnel to look for these symptoms and take patients to hospitals that can treat stroke.

That's what happened to Ross, who was given IV clot-busting drugs within 15 minutes of arriving at Westchester Medical Center - and was on the operating table within 45 minutes to have the clot removed.

"It was basically a miracle because I woke up from the procedure, and I went from being paralyzed, facial droop, slurring, all of that stuff to being completely back to normal," Ross said.

He is sharing his story of recovery this Stroke Awareness Month in hope it might help someone else.
"I'm very, very lucky I came out of it nothing but a little bit of brain fog," Ross said.

He's now taking it easy, as per doctor orders, and cherishing his time with his wife and daughter