2026 Go Red for Women Class of Survivors: Erin Adelekun
Erin Adelekun went from new mom to stroke survivor in nine days. She was determined not just to recover, but to thrive. With a renewed sense of purpose, she shares her story in hopes that other women will prioritize maternal heart health and trust their instincts if symptoms arise.
After years of trying to have a child, Erin Adelekun was grateful for a pregnancy free of complications. But during the planned cesarean section in July 2020, she had lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion. Luckily, her daughter, Adenike, was born healthy.
Erin, who was 38 at the time, mentioned to her care team that she started having a headache the next day, but it was dismissed as routine. Both Erin and her daughter were released from the hospital early due to the strict COVID-19 protocols.
“I was just really elated with the family that we had developed,” Erin said. “This was my first child, and I was so tired because of her feeding schedule. So, when I had the headache again eight days later, I thought maybe I just needed to rest.”
The following day, she was planning to call the doctor’s office when it opened. But first she asked her husband, Mayowa, to make breakfast.
“When my husband called up to me that breakfast was ready, I wanted to say, ‘I will be down in a minute,’” she said. “The words I thought I were saying were gibberish. So, I ran to my husband and suddenly my right arm became limp. And I thought ... no; I knew I was having a stroke.”
Her husband raced her to the same hospital where she had given birth. During an MRI, Erin had a seizure on the table. She also had a massive stroke with both sides of her brain bleeding. She was put in a medically induced coma.
She was airlifted to a hospital better equipped to perform emergency surgery that included removing part of Erin’s skull to relieve the pressure.
Mayowa was allowed to see her to say goodbye in case she didn’t survive.
After three weeks, she woke up but couldn’t move her legs or arms. Another early setback was finding out she had aphasia, a disorder that affects speech and the ability to process information. She also had to abide by the hospital’s COVID-19 visiting restrictions.
“I didn’t have anyone once I woke up,” she said. “I didn’t have my husband or my mom and dad to come in and greet me and tell me what had happened. I just had nurses who were in hazmat suits.”
Her family kept her spirits up, frequently relying on video calls when in-person visits were not allowed. A special memory for Erin was seeing Adenike during a video call after weeks apart.
“The look on my face when my husband showed me our daughter was indescribable,” she said. “I was relieved to see her, and she was larger than I had left her. She was 6 pounds when I had the stroke, and she was maybe 12 pounds when I saw her again. She looked so healthy, and I was glad that she was OK.”
Before Erin could return home, however, she needed months of rehab to improve her ability to talk, walk and perform basic tasks. At first, she would need to rest after doing simple activities. But the more she tried, the stronger she became.
She also worked hard to learn how to overcome her physical limitations to be a good mom to her two stepchildren and Adenike. Some of the skills were practical, like learning to change a diaper with one hand to compensate for arm weakness. Other skills seemed simple but were meaningful to her.
“I learned how to make a grilled cheese sandwich in therapy,” she says, with a laugh. “The therapist asked what was important to me, and I said, ‘Being a part of my kids’ lives, being a part of my husband’s life, cooking, cleaning and just being there for them.”
Erin, now 44, still has some mobility issues but has found ways to move forward. She stays busy raising her children and has surpassed the early limits her care team placed on her. She got her driver’s license renewed two years ago and can operate a car thanks to modifications such as a spinner knob on the steering wheel and a left foot accelerator.
She raises awareness about stroke risks, especially for new moms. She’s also found purpose in advocating for others.
“I have a new lease on life because, although I had a stroke, I’m still living,” she said. “I had to ask myself, ‘What happens after I have a stroke? Do I just give up and let people take care of me? Or do I thrive and take care of others?’ I decided that I’m going to thrive.”
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