I had 5% chance survival after stroke at 48 - after having part of my skull removed I can walk and talk again

A dad who had half his skull removed after a sudden stroke has beaten the odds to walk, talk and ride a bike again.

Geoff Smith, 54, had let his dogs out into the garden on March 28 2019 when he suffered a middle cerebral artery stroke and fell and hit his head. His wife Jo Smith, 53, found her husband unresponsive in their living room and realised he was having a stroke.

Geoff was rushed to hospital and the family were told his chances of surviving were just five per cent - and if he did he'd be left severely disabled. He underwent a decompressive craniectomy to remove a large part of his skull - allowing for his swelling brain to expand.

Geoff spent five and a half months in neurological rehabilitation, before coming home in August 2019. He was back walking nine weeks after his stroke and Jo says he is now "70 per cent back to the old Geoff" and is back to work one morning a week.

Jo, who is mum to Paige, 28, Josh, 26, and Georgie, 22, had to continue therapy herself and has paid for it privately since January 2020. The therapy has been life-changing for Geoff - who receives personal training from Neil Heppel at The Wellbeing Hub.

Jo, a full-time carer for Geoff, from Chelmsford in Essex, said: "I was told he'd need four carers a day. Someone like Geoff should be in a nursing home but he doesn't need this.

"He climbed Snowdon in 2022 and can ride a bike. Everyday Geoff comes back to us more and more. Five years into stroke recovery is still very new on this journey. The stroke is life changing, it's not life ending.”

On his recovery, Geoff said: "It's good and I'm getting better as well. It is what it is and it's getting easier and I will keep on keeping on."

You can donate to help Geoff's journey here.