Carpinteria Man Recovers from Stroke and Other Setbacks to Run New York Marathon

A Carpinteria man has recovered from a stroke, brain surgery and open heart surgery to make a miraculous comeback and even finish the New York Marathon.

David Powdrell says while running the 26.2 miles last month he was so excited to be in the event with 50,000 others, he was taking pictures along the way and giving high fives to the children lining the route.

He was barely able to walk or breathe when he had the first in a series of setbacks.

But he credits his doctors, his wife who is a trainer, and a good attitude for his ability to recover from the multiple medical challenges and have a chance to be a distance runner.

“I know I am one of the lucky ones. I have some numbness and lack some coordination,” said Powdrell. “After my stroke, I went to the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital and those rascals whipped me into shape. It was the hardest month of my life. They worked my butt off.”

It also paid off.

His recovery and run in the marathon comes at a time when the country debates health care issues daily. For Powdrell, he is thankful he has coverage, and admits without it, he would have likely gone bankrupt.

He is helping other stroke survivors with their road to recovery by sharing his experiences and the New York Marathon medal he proudly displays.

Tonight he tells NewsChannel 3 his story.