At 92 years old, Rich Logue still has things to do.
There is yard work waiting at home. Dishes to wash. A hanging plant on the porch that needs water. Fridays are for vacuuming. Sundays are for church. Thursdays are for Bible study. And with five children, grandchildren and another great-grandchild on the way, Rich and his wife, Mary Ann, have plenty to keep them busy.
So, when Mary Ann could not wake Rich as usual one morning, she knew something was wrong.
“He was going to get up early to water the front, and I just had a hard time getting him up,” Mary Ann said. “That’s not like him at all.”
A short time later, she found him on the bathroom floor.
“He had no strength. None,” she said. “I said, ‘I’m calling the ambulance. You had a stroke.’ And he said, ‘No.’”
Mary Ann called 911 anyway. That decision helped save Rich’s life.
Warning sign before the stroke
Just days before, Rich had experienced a sudden vision change. It lasted only a few minutes, but it was alarming enough that he and Mary Ann sought care. They were told it may have been a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, often called a “warning stroke.”
“TIAs are often called warning strokes for a reason. Even if the symptoms go away, they can be a sign that something bigger is coming. That is why we treat TIAs with the same urgency as a stroke and complete the full workup in the hospital,” said Jasmine Johann, nurse practitioner and stroke program leader at HCA HealthONE Swedish.
Rich’s symptoms went away, but that did not mean the danger had passed. Within days, Rich suffered a major stroke.
When emergency medical services arrived, Mary Ann initially hoped Rich would be taken to the hospital where he typically received care. But the EMS team recognized that Rich needed a hospital prepared for advanced stroke intervention and took him to HCA HealthONE Swedish.
“I was unhappy,” she said. “But I have to tell you, I am so grateful. I’m so grateful that they brought him here.”
Fast action, advanced stroke care
When Rich arrived, the stroke team quickly identified a large blood clot. Dr. Ian Kaminsky, neurointerventional surgeon, was called in to perform a thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure used to remove the clot and restore blood flow to the brain.
“Rich had a very severe stroke with limited blood flow to the entire right side of his brain. He had a clot and narrowing blocking the right common carotid artery in the neck and a separate clot blocking the right internal carotid artery in the brain. Every minute a major brain vessel remains blocked, approximately 1.9 million neurons are lost.” Dr. Kaminsky said.
According to Jasmine, Rich arrived with signs of a severe stroke, including left-sided paralysis; eyes deviated to the right and a high stroke scale score. Imaging showed that a large area of his brain was at risk.
But after the clot was removed, Rich’s symptoms improved dramatically.
“I was able to remove all of the clot and emergently open the narrowed carotid artery with a stent and an angioplasty balloon. This technical success was excellent, but more importantly, Rich’s function returned to normal,” Dr. Kaminsky said.
For Mary Ann, the combination of clinical expertise and compassion made the experience less frightening.
“One thing I’ve really appreciated about this hospital: they’ve been very informative,” she said. “I like to know what’s happening. It’s helpful.”
‘Treat him like he’s 60’
Rich’s age was impossible to ignore, but Mary Ann wanted the care team to see the person behind the number.
“He’s 92, but you treat him like he’s 60,” she said. “He’s active. He’s healthy. Don’t write him off.”
That message resonated with the stroke team.
Jasmine said Rich’s case is a reminder that age alone should not define a patient’s care plan. Before the stroke, Rich lived independently and was active. After the thrombectomy, he improved so much that the team believed he could likely return home after his additional procedures.
“Age is only a number; a patient’s level of functioning is what matters. Rich is 92, but he is very active and otherwise healthy. We look at every patient as an individual. Someone who is active like Rich deserves to be given a chance at the best possible outcome,” Dr. Kaminsky said.
When Rich woke up after the procedure and saw the team caring for him, he felt reassured.
“I said, ‘Well, I’m going to be fine,’” he said. “This is what it was meant to be.”
Care for the whole family
For Mary Ann, being included mattered. She said the team explained what was happening, why Rich needed each test, and why he had to remain in bed after his procedure. They answered questions. They made her feel like part of the care process.
“I never felt like I shouldn’t be there, or I was in the way,” she said. “They included me. They were inclusive. And that really meant a lot.”
She also remembered Jasmine’s reassurance about Dr. Kaminsky.
“She said, ‘I trust him with my life,’” Mary Ann said. “That helped a lot.”
Looking forward
Rich’s goals after discharge were simple and deeply familiar: get home, be with Mary Ann and return to the rhythms of daily life.
When asked what he was looking forward to, the answer came quickly.
“Yard work,” he said.
Mary Ann had a different answer.
“I’m going to be happy to have him in the same bed,” she said.
Rich is also eager to get back to his household routine.
“I usually do the vacuuming,” he said. “Whenever we have dishes, I do the dishes. We don’t have the regular dishwasher. I am the dishwasher.”
Rich joked that he only has “two speeds, slow and slower.” But for him, speed is not the point.
“As long as I’m still moving,” he said, “I don’t care how fast it is.”
A message for other families
Rich and Mary Ann hope their story encourages others to act quickly when stroke symptoms appear — even if those symptoms go away.
Stroke warning signs can include sudden weakness, facial drooping, trouble speaking, vision changes, dizziness or loss of balance. Symptoms that resolve may still signal a TIA and should be treated as urgent.
Jasmine said that is one of the key lessons from Rich’s experience: Do not ignore symptoms just because they improve.
“If you notice stroke symptoms, do not wait to see if they get better. Call 911. Rich’s story shows how quickly a warning sign can become a major stroke, and how fast treatment can make the difference,” Jasmine said.
Rich’s advice is even simpler.
“Get help,” he said. “Don’t give up hope either. Because there’s people out here that gladly will help you get through.”
At 92, Rich is looking forward to getting back to yard work, church and life at home with Mary Ann.
Learn more about our stroke care.