You were moving from Louisiana to Florida in 2017 when you had a stroke just four days after your second child was born. You said it was scary, but also lucky, in a way. How so?
My mother-in-law, Janet, had come to stay with us from Oklahoma to look after my older daughter, and she was helping us move. We were driving through Mississippi when I started to get what I thought was a migraine. I've had migraines since I was 12. Janet stopped driving so I could get out of the car and take a break. But after we were back on the road, the pain got so bad I was crying. I was fortunate that my mother-in-law stayed calm and thought to get us a hotel room.

What happened at the hotel?
Janet ordered a pizza, and the last thing I remember is telling her I wasn't feeling well. She told me later that I started having a seizure and at one point stopped breathing completely. Janet called 911 and kept shaking me, saying, "Don't you dare die on me!"

Where was your husband, Chris?
He was driving the moving van with our stuff and was about an hour away. He said he set all kinds of speed records racing to the hotel and then on to the hospital. Doctors had to medevac me to Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. I always wanted to fly in a helicopter, but not that way!

What treatment did you receive at Ochsner?
I had an angiogram and was treated with medication. I was at Ochsner for a week and had physical and speech therapy. My main problem was weakness, which was temporary. Otherwise, I've had no lasting effects from the stroke.

Who was taking care of your kids while you were hospitalized?
My husband's ex-wife-we love each other—and her boyfriend drove to the hotel in Mississippi to meet my mother-in-law and my two kids, and together they drove to Pensacola. One of my best friends left her home in Massachusetts to fly down to Florida to help. Then Chris' brother's wife, who had just returned from Uganda, drove from Tulsa down to Pensacola.

How long did everyone stay?
My mother-in-law stayed two months. My best friend stayed a few days, and my sister-in-law and her three daughters stayed several weeks. They cooked and looked after my older daughter so I could focus on my newborn. They waited on me hand and foot. My family in Jamaica called every day to check on me and my family.

What helped with your recovery?
A healthier diet—eating more fruits and vegetables and quinoa instead of rice. I never drank water before my stroke; now I drink it all the time. And exercise. I've always been an exercise nut, and now I'm even more active. I just finished a 60-day 204-mile virtual race to support my friend who participated in the Great Run Across Nebraska. I ran 204 miles in 44 days, 95 percent of it pushing my 3-year-old in a stroller. Over the course of a week I run, lift weights, do high-intensity cardio workouts, and practice yoga and stretch.

How has your attitude changed?
Every time I think about what could have happened, I cry. I love my family more than ever. I made a pledge to be more present. I'm also grateful that I was in such good shape before my stroke. Exercise saved me. I've also learned to accept my body, flaws and all. In the space of a week, it went through an amazing event—birth—and a traumatic one—the stroke—and I'm still here. This body has helped me be who I am.

Have you shared your story before?
I'm involved in two virtual exercise groups and some of those people know my story. I try to inspire them to be strong and appreciate their bodies.