Todd Meiklejohn, a teacher and cyclist in his mid-50s, suffered a massive stroke at home on Aug. 8, 2025. A mechanical thrombectomy was performed just 38 minutes after the 911 call, restoring blood flow and minimizing permanent damage. Doctors later discovered and closed a patent foramen ovale (PFO) that allowed the clot to reach his brain. Meiklejohn recovered quickly, returned to work in four weeks, completed a 100-mile bike ride two months later and now promotes fast stroke response.
Teacher's 'Miracle' Recovery: Rapid Thrombectomy and Heart Repair Stop Massive Stroke
Todd Meiklejohn completes a 100-mile race in Key West. / Credit: Todd Meiklejohn
Todd Meiklejohn, a mid-50s teacher and avid cyclist, suffered a sudden massive stroke at home on Aug. 8, 2025. He lost movement on his right side and could see from only one eye. About 45 minutes after he fell, his wife returned home, found him on the floor and called 911.
Todd Meiklejohn and his wife. / Credit: Todd Meiklejohn
At the Miami Neuroscience Institute at Baptist Health, interventional neuroradiologist Dr. Guilherme Dabus performed a mechanical thrombectomy — a catheter-based procedure to remove the clot — and Meiklejohn was in the operating room just 38 minutes after the 911 call. Because blood flow was restored so quickly, doctors said he sustained very little permanent damage.
Left: Blood flow in a normal heart. Right: Blood flow in a heart with PFO. / Credit: Enid Hajderi/Stocktrek Images
Fast Action, Fast Recovery
'When it comes to strokes, time is brain,' Dr. Dabus said, explaining that brain tissue begins to die within minutes when deprived of oxygen. Shortly after the procedure, Meiklejohn regained speech and movement on his right side and was discharged from the hospital in under 48 hours. Dabus described the outcome as 'amazing' and recalled telling Meiklejohn, 'You're a miracle.'
Todd Meiklejohn. / Credit: Todd Meiklejohn
Uncovering the Cause
Because Meiklejohn was otherwise healthy and an accomplished athlete, physicians investigated potential sources of the clot. Scans revealed a patent foramen ovale (PFO) — a small opening between the heart's upper chambers that normally closes after birth. Dr. Eihab Ghantous of NYU Langone explained that 20–30% of adults have a PFO, and most never experience problems.
In rare cases a clot can pass through a PFO and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. Doctors typically consider this diagnosis only after excluding more common causes.
Meiklejohn underwent a minimally invasive procedure to close the PFO. Doctors reported the closure was successful and said his risk of another stroke is now very small.
Life After the Stroke
In the year since the event, Meiklejohn focused on rehabilitation, rebuilding endurance and muscle tone. He returned to work four weeks after the procedure and completed a 100-mile bike ride two months after the stroke. He still monitors his blood pressure and heart rate and bears scars on his legs from injuries sustained during the episode.
'Thank God, she came back,' Meiklejohn said of his wife's timely return. He now advocates for rapid stroke recognition and treatment, urging people to act quickly because prompt care can dramatically improve outcomes.
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