June Member of the Month: Matthew Rhinehart  |  Read his story here...

Before July 8, 2012, I was doing everything wrong.  I was, by choice, overworked, I was overweight.  I smoked, drank an incredible amount of Mountain Dew daily, and ate fast food very regularly.  I was not in very good shape to say the least.  
My previous lifestyle came to an abrupt end on July 8, 2012 when I suffered an ischemic stroke.  Fortunately, I was administered tPA treatment very quickly, which greatly limited the potential damage.  Still, I had a long road of recovery ahead.  I spent a week and a half in the hospital rehab wing contemplating my embarrassing lifestyle choices, vowing to completely change so that I could continue to enjoy my amazing life.
I began my recovery journey with physical therapy at Milestone about a month after my stroke.  I joined Milestone as a Member at this time.  Because it would take me six months to even begin to run straight, I started with spinning classes for cardiovascular exercise.  From there, I became an avid cyclist.  I also credit yoga for rebuilding my balance and my core.  Also, Jamal was a great help in my strength training development.  And, eventually I began to run in a straight line and have become an avid runner.
In the last 5 years of being a stroke survivor, I have completed 5 mini-marathons, several 5K’s and 10K’s, 6 different supported bike tours, and lost over 50 pounds!  I am proud to say that I more than recovered from the stroke in 2012, and am now in the best shape of my life at 41 years of age.  Most importantly, I am very thankful and grateful that I received a second chance!