Joe: This is a followup episode to my five-year stroke aversary. Normally it would be me processing, but this has turned into the neuro nerds’ most unique episode yet. Very community based. Curous what that is, stay tuned. Boom, intro done.

Welcome to the neuro nerds. Okay. So this is a very different episode than anything we’ve ever done before. Initially, the idea was I’ve already done my processed out five-year stroke versary episode. This was going to be after that. Process everything out. Now, look into the future, talking about all the people I’ve connected with and everything that happened the day of my stroke aversary.

It didn’t turn into that. How it came about is I was running my normal Friday clubhouse support group, and I was told to shut up and let everybody take over. By Michael Shutt, Mackenzie. It was beautiful. It turned into the community sharing with me what I meant to them, which was possibly the most amazing feeling I could have. He genuinely just want to help.

And it was so beautiful to hear everybody’s thoughts and how I helped them. So that’s what this episode is. This is that support group that I normally run in. Everybody in it, sharing their thoughts on me. Again, most unique episode, I think the neuro nerds have ever done. I’m so appreciative of the community and everything that everybody has said nice about me. I guess this was all really difficult for me to take in because I don’t take compliments very well. I’ve always deflect, but it was really just amazing. It was a Testament to how loving, caring, and amazing our community is. And I’m so thankful for everybody. And I sincerely hope every single one of you guys enjoy this, and I appreciate every single one of you guys out there.

And without further ado, here’s the actual audio from Michael Shutt hijacking my support group that I run Fridays .

Michael: You had your five-year stroke aversary. So we all thought that we would give you a, we’re going to give you a break tonight and relieve you of your hosting duties. So I just need you to, we just need you to sit back. Listen and take everything in that’s about . To happen. So we’re really quickly.

Can you see Felice from where you’re sitting?

Joe: I can. And then she came in here with a camera.

Michael: Turn to Felice and just smile. Just smile and surprise. Surprise. Welcome to the Joe Borgias appreciation night. Everybody knows the rules, right? The number one rule for you, Joe, is that you don’t get to talk. You just have to, you just have to sit there and listen and take all this in. You’re going to get a chance to talk. What did I just say? You’re going to get a chance to talk very soon, but right now all you have to do is Okay.

Joe: I’ll put myself on mute.

Michael: Perfect. So I’m just going to start out by saying the other day on Instagram, I wrote about loneliness and about how I read about how loneliness is not due to a lack of people in someone’s life, but it’s due to a lack of connection. And before I met you. After my stroke and before I met you, I was incredibly lonely.

And because I didn’t have anyone that understood what I was going through, so I had no connection and I actually started to lose hope, not hope that I would get better. I could see that I was improving and that I was getting stronger, but I was losing hope that I would ever find anyone that would understand me or truly see me again.

The day we met, you changed my life. The day we met, you saw me, we connected. And then you not only saw me and understood me, but you grabbed him by my hand. And you dragged me into a community of people, this community of people that also see me and understand me and make me feel connected. So you not only gave me hope, Joe, you saved my life.

I, I need you to know that. So what we’re going to do tonight is we’re all going to go around the room and just let you know how you’ve affected our lives. You were saying the, you said to me one day that the one thing you really wanted to do was to make a difference in our community. We’re about to show you exactly how big of a difference you have made to so many people.

So sit back, enjoy the ride, take it all in. Our first guests this evening, who you like to call, I’m not going to say what you’d like to call her, but I will just call her my friend Mickey. Mackenzie, would you like to come say something before I get into things? I just wanted to give a quick shout out and thank Michael, because we wouldn’t be doing this right now without him.

Mackenzie: I am in awe of your kind heart and beautiful brain, and I am so grateful to have been able to help you execute this. And also a huge thank you to Felice, not only for being there to record and capture this, but also for all the work you do for the community whether it’s producing and arranging things or supporting Joe, we appreciate you so much.

And speaking of the man himself Joe. There are not enough words or time in the world to describe how much you mean to me and how much you’ve changed my life for someone that jokes about their little Grinch heart, I will all the time you are the kindest most genuine and caring person. I know you developed and introduced me to the most amazing community in the world.

And I know that they’re supportive and loving nature is a direct reflection of who you are as a person. Because in every single one of us, you have fostered growth, strength and love. You’ve shown me what true friendship is supposed to look like. And you’ve become one of my people, a person I call when I’m overwhelmed with pain, sadness and anger and a person I call when I genuinely want to laugh and smile, you have never asked me to change, but you have changed me for the better.

I am absolutely honored to be a part of your community and your chosen family. I love you. And thank you, Joe.

Michael: Sorry. I had to turn off my microphone cause I was crying. Thank you, Mackenzie. I would next like the call to the stage, our dear friend, Mimi.

Mimi: All right. So why do we let McKenzie go for it? Seriously? I am crying. That’s, it’s too late for that now. Here’s the thing about Joe is here’s the thing about Joe. Joe is the most selfless person I’ve ever met. He has always made me feel like the best version of myself, even when I don’t know what that is, because I don’t believe in myself. He believes in me. Joe puts himself into this community. He puts in the work, even when he’s tired and feeling fatigued and not like himself, he puts a smile on his face and that’s all anybody could ever ask for.

I didn’t know. I could be proud to have a brain injury and I am so proud to be a part of this community that Joe has fostered and loved and truly made special. So I love you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you, Mimi. Our next guest who also helped a lot with tonight is Adrian.

Adrian: Hi, creepy Joe. We met about three years ago when you came into my DMs and you started the heck out of me because I did not understand that anybody would want to hear my story. I was alone, even in my house with my caregiver, didn’t even understand what was going on. You reached out to me and I call you creepy Joe, because I didn’t know that somebody was interested in my story or reaching out and helping somebody like me. But you took me on and you understood what I was going through. And. You kept it between us when I was on workman’s comp and I couldn’t share the things that I needed to, or that I wanted to share. You kept my secrets. So you also helped my marriage. My husband sits in on our calls and a lot more now, and he hears from a man’s standpoint, what I’m going through. I appreciate you more than anybody more than I can express for bringing me into this community for helping me meet other people. But also helping me be a better person, be a better advocate for our community and continue what you’re doing in helping others, because it meant so much to me in your health that I want to continue to do the same. So thank you.

Michael: Thank you, Adrian. I just, oh my God. That’s killing me right now. I just want to say really quick. I’m so sorry. I know there are some people here tonight that I may not have been able to reach out to. I don’t have everybody’s contact information. So I am going to open this up to the room once I’ve gone through the list of people that have already confirmed to speak tonight.

I don’t want to leave anyone out, but wow, Adrian, thank you so much.

Anna: So it’s really late out here, but I told myself that I have to wake up. I have to stay awake for Joe. Anything for you, man? Happy fifth stroke and registry to you. My handsome Joe. Okay. So I noticed stroke is bad, but. I’m thankful for this community. I’m thankful because I met you and it has been wonderful. We have been like, we’re gone so closed. Wow. I don’t even know how to start. You are a wonderful year, man, Joe, like wonderful. And I hope, you know it, I hope you grow higher and I hope your podcast gets like millions of listeners, and I really, once, once I have like my Nigerian dance suite I love dancing. So I want to have one with you when I see you. And I really love you.Joe. Really love you. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you, Anna. Next up we’ve got Tony.

Tony: Thank you. For all that you’ve done for me of different conversations. You were the first male outside of the specific PCs world who tried to understand me, tried to listen to me and didn’t just go, oh yeah, that’s just some stupid joke or something like that. You were always there always listening and you have fostered such an amazing community where I swear every day, I’m talking to at least two or three different people who are in this group currently, who I just never would have met if it wasn’t for you.

You been there listening to me, complaining about the stupidness. And you’ve shared your own personal world was me in ways that I never expected somebody from all the way across the country would ever speak to me. So thank you very much. So thank you, Tony. Yeah, I have so much to say later. Next up we got Vince.

He might have a connection issue cause he’s off mute, but I don’t hear anything. Okay. I’ll I’ll come back. I’ll come back to Vince. So somebody remind me if I forget, cause I’ve got a brain injury. Next up is Anna here?

Anna: I am here. Okay. Joe, I have my own nickname for you now. Joe, the ho-ho and uncle Joe. I just want to thank you so much for making. This community feels so inviting and welcoming. And even on day one, you make people feel like they’re supposed to be here. And you actually normalize the phrase for me. I have a brain injury before that. I didn’t even know that rates existed.

And I thought when I was having issues, processing what someone was saying to me, or getting confused and not understanding, I didn’t want to say I have a stroke get into being with people, but now, because of that term and you need it seem so normal, I can just say that. And I need it. I need to say it a lot actually.

And it’s actually been freeing because I can just say, I’m sorry, I have a brain injury. Can you repeat that? Or I’m not. I’m having trouble understanding and it’s saving me right now. And it’s the most simplest phrase, but I got it from you and from you making it so normal for us to be able to say. And I really appreciate you caring about all of us and just especially make everybody feel.

Cause it’s really nice and this community has really been there for me. And it’s more there for me than even people who are supposed to be my friends. And so I really appreciate it. And it’s because of you helping all of us, Joe. Thank you.

Michael: Thank you so much, Anna. I love what you just said about not normalizing saying I have a brain injury that’s so important. Like in Joe, you have absolutely done that. That’s amazing. I think I saw that Vince’s back then. So you’re back. Yes. Can you hear me? You’re I can. You’re up?

Vince: Okay. So thank you guys for your patience. Joe, I just want to say that your love for our community is evident and your ability to make me in particular feel like I am a part of this community. Awesome. And, I feel like I have a real friend in you.

It’s really hard to express, I guess what community means, but the sense of belonging is huge and that’s a real, a very big thing. That’s been missing in a lot of my IRL friendships at times. So I do really appreciate you, what you do for this community, your charisma and endless energy. It means a lot to me and I feel much more comfortable with myself and steel, still feeling a sense of strength throughout this injury.

And I can’t wait to meet you so love you, Joe. Thank you, Joe. Thank you very much. That’s awesome. Next up, I’ve got Heidi. Hi, can you hear me?

Heidi: Yep. Yes. firstly, what I want to say is thank you. Wow. Probably I got it. October in 2019, he probably walked by the office when I was only 30 bucks out of hospital. I never thought I’d meet such a kind and gentle person that would help me. So like he, my recovery. I’ve still got a little bit more to say. I was quite desperate at the time looking for support. It helps so many people when you’ve got the courage of abide and you’ve build a beautiful community. Each you had the compassion over oversight. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you, Heidi. Thank you. Next up. We’ve got Noreen.

Noreen: Okay. How I’m holding it together. This is, this has been, this is really emotional. Joe, you opened the door. To not only trust in how I uniquely see the world, but also trust that I am valued in our society, introduced me to so many wonderful people.

You’ve gotten me through so many hard situations, but most importantly, because of your open heart and when the willingness to accept others, I have a friend full life in you. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you. Noreen. Next up. We’ve got Greg.

Greg: How are you guys doing oh, Joe, I really like to thank you for allowing me to come on your show. And instantly after I got off of your show, you noticed that I was doing podcasts or video interviews and you instantly just sent people my way and I was able to touch more people and. Doing that allowed a lot more people to be a part of this community and feel more welcomed, feel more alive, feel more, I guess you would say. And not like the normies we’re above that were super heroes. So I really appreciate you. Really given us acceptance, accepted me. I know probably if we didn’t have these brain injuries, we probably wouldn’t have known each other, but through these brain injuries, it seems like I gain a family and during a very dark time in my life, it was there to talk with me and have great conversations with me.

So I really appreciate you, Joe. Thank you so much too.

Michael: Thank you Greg. Next up. We’ve got Abby.

Abby: Hey Joe. So I was extremely nervous about reaching out to this community. In large part because it took me six and a half years to get my diagnosis. And during that time for awhile, after, as a sick check with no support group to call home I was terrified that this would be just another space I didn’t belong in. Enter you. You reached out to me after my first time on one of these calls with you seemed to genuinely interested in getting to know me and quickly put me at ease. And that’s a small miracle for someone with my level of social anxiety. He made me feel like there was a space for me here that I belonged to this crazy extended family and they belong to me.

And more than that, that I had something important to contribute. It really meant more than I can adequately express. And it’s not just me. You have this remarkable way of making each and every one of us. Valuable, which is staggering and transformative. When you’ve come to see yourself as little more than a burden to those around you, you mean it.

When you say you truly just want to help people with no ulterior motive or need for recognition. It is rare and wonderful. You not only built this home, you’re the heart and soul of it. You’re a beloved candle and I will be always be so fucking grateful for you. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you so much, Abby. Sorry. I am such a mess right now. So guess who’s up next, Laura? You’re up?

Laura: Don’t cry, bitch. I’m just kidding. So I just want to say, I appreciate you taking me under your wing after I scattered you out on being a guest on mark Barman’s support group. I Facebook stuff. I Dm’ed you and you got back to me immediately. You got back to me so promptly in a time that I really needed it. Hold on a minute. And you walk into your group. And after last week I had so many people point into my DMS and checking on me, but I’m better today than I was a couple of months ago. Thanks to you. You reminded me that the type of stroke we had, we are conquerors. So thank you, Joe. We all are hungry.

Michael: Thank you, Laura. And forgive me. Pronouncing your name on, is it Tara? There you are.

Tara: All right. Thank you for whoever put me on joe. You already know you guys for those of you who do not know me. I am actually a 2021 go red for women, real woman. And I honestly wouldn’t have done that. If it wasn’t for Joe, Joe has pushed me to be a better individual. As far as my message, I had first strokes with them 24 hours. It’s 26 and I pretty much I will, I’ll do a CPR on somebody else on nine 11 when I had my first stroke.

So Joe has helped me to become pretty much, I guess you can say one of those people that just, if I’m about that life, y’all I have been doing my best at that point. Since I’ve met him, he’s shown me that I can. I can just not just be afraid of, telling my story. And I was afraid of different jobs and things, and I was scared y’all because literally when you hear that this is all about, a lot of these I’m at I’m in a right to work state.

I’m going to be honest with y’all. So that kind of helped me a bit, so where I’m like, let me do what I can, but Joe, one thing I want to say to you right now in this moment for those of you some of you have reached out to me and let me know that you’ve hurt me. I am not just one of the people on this podcast.

I was born amplify black voices. I am also former nine 11 and I come from military and police family is way off and I was a nine 11 dispatcher. So it, me being able to do that, it did give a different perspective. I’m grateful for that. Thank you for that platform, Joe. And also, I do want you to always reflect on Esther four and 14, perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.

A lot of us felt like we weren’t able to be, just really be who we are and use our voices and this moment. And you’ve done that. You brought that out of us. You’ve given it to us. So police continue to do what you’re doing. I am very proud of you. I love you F Elise so much. Y’all are my people. I love y’all and I do plan on seeing us soon.

I’m very excited for everything that God has planned for you. I love you and thank you, Joe. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and for everybody on this. Oh my God.

Michael: Thank you so much. I just have, I know I, I said in the rules that there was no cross-docking, but I just have to say one really quick thing.

I’m like, thank God my microphone was on mute because when you were telling your story, I literally screamed, oh my God. Like three times. And thank you so much for that that that the not quote, but the verse from Esther. Cause that is exactly like this.

Tara: I want all of y’all to remember that. That’s something I want to think of. And this moment, this is not just for Joe. This was for y’all. This is for all of us. We weren’t created for yeah. We went through this. Y’all come on with it, baby. We not going to play it. We’re going to save some lives. That would be for real.

Michael: I’m just going to say really selfishly, please find me on Instagram and connect with me because I need to be your friend.

Tara: Joe was like a big brother to all of us. He’s connected with us. He has in that level. Seriously. You guys, my name is Katurah, but on Instagram, T U R a H underscore day. Get me guys. I definitely want to connect with all of you because just hearing you guys tonight, y’all are not going to have me in here. Boo-hooing and wetting up my shirt. Okay. I know I’m ugly crying.

Michael: I think we all are. Thank you so much. All right, I’m just going to keep this moving for a second. Our next one up is Jasmine. Are you here?

Jasmine: I am here, Michael. Thank you. Hey. How’s everyone. What’s up Joe, I, in my whole recovery journey for the first five years, I was so alone in my journey.

I was, have been going on it all alone for so long, struggling with recovery coming to terms from being a high-performing individual, to what I felt at that point of time was a deficit. I had to come to terms from, like dropping from the top to the. But on the fact that I couldn’t even function well in my proper job, as an as an engineer, I had to quit and I was managing a lot of things on my own.

Fortunately for me, I had understanding friends and family and I have apart, but something was still missing because no matter how or what that goes through, they can’t really understand it. So I’ve been going on it all along for so long being uncut halls are being on clubhouse. Earlier this year, I made me look with renewed passion for fellow stroke survivors, because I know the journey is not easy.

And I also had lost friends who recovered from the aneurysm rupture, or need to fall again and as a country as later. At a point in time, I was taking myself if only I had properly reach out to them. Maybe just maybe, it might have been different. So when I was on club house, although I wasn’t here for a different reason, but part of me was like, I need to look for fellow stroke survivors.

And in the beginning I actually opened empty rooms to try and look for people. A few came in and I connected with them and we chat. I was glad a few of them managed to connect back to you also. And that is when I stumbled into your room and yay. I hit a bonus. I did not just find stroke survivors. I find a whole family of brain injury survivors, a whole family of people like us like me, like you I am so thankful.

For the connection to you, because from you, you have actually introduced this extended family that I’ve been searching for so long. And what you say, Joe, in this true. You are the person that connects everyone to everyone. And I just love you, man. What tourists it’s really just all meant to be this whole thing.

No, when you look at it, it’s all mental beat and you are the connect to a lot of people and like Y you always say we are all one weird, crazy family, and I love that. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you so much, Jasmine. Next up, we’ve got my fellow Bostonian, Sherry.

Sherry: All right. I just have to say, wow. You all have given such, I love listening to everything. Everyone has to say. So what more can I say? You all said, I think I know that you have, I know, I’m sorry. I don’t talk when that gets the, it’s been a busy day and I have a speech problem, my energy. So anyway, I know that you have made a significant impact on community and.

And you have found your niche. Maybe you don’t realize it as just struggling up a hill. That seems like a mountain sometimes for all of us together that you have made the sense of communities, the wonderful, so appreciated. And that’s what every single one of us is because of you and you so supportive to all of us. We all know why you’re here. And thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you, Sherry. Oh my God, this, sorry. Next up we’ve got bill.

Bill: Hey everyone. So I’m so glad to be part of this room. So anyway, congratulations. Five years. And what I want to say is that a couple of things that I really appreciate about having this part of my life first is that you challenge me by sample to be the best that I yeah. And in watching, and then listening to everything that you do with your show and with your additions and with your connections and with unity, it’s an incredible example of what we can strive for.

And it’s not a competition, competitive type of thing. It’s more of a reminder that, Hey, we’ve got to go out there and you gotta do the best that you can and do amazing things. And so I find that really valuable and really helpful, and I very much appreciate it. The other thing I really appreciate, I found really helpful now is that you have this incredible passion and skill for connecting with individual.

I don’t know. I personally like to think I am pretty good at community and that group, but not so much as individual building that direct personal relationship. And you can do that incredibly well. And so it’s always amazing to watch somebody who’s able to do that, make that connection, make that that network with individuals reaching out and really being a powerful part of their lives.

And as an example that I sent, then go ahead and try to follow and try to do better. I guess what I could say is Joe gorgeous, you make me want to be a better man. And I can’t wait to have a good get to get down to Southern California to meet you in person and with everybody else in that community and support.

Thank you belief as well for everything you are doing to support Joe and the community also from an operational perspective, which is so important, but but Joe, I challenge you to be better and that’s my need and that’s the kind of people I look to have in my life. So thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you so much, bill. So guess who’s up next, Andrea?

Andrea: Hello? Okay. Let me try to get through this in one piece. Joe, Filipino, Puerto Rican. I’ll never stop telling anyone how we met because it was fate sitting there crying for hours of through just meeting each other the same night. It was pretty evident that we were meant to be in each other’s slides, the chosen family we were destined to meet. I know, you know how important you are because you’re conceited, but I don’t think, or realize how many people’s lives you’ve changed and how much you are going to change.

We might not have met while I was still in rehab, but you’re still helping me find hope and inspiration to keep growing. You are the reason I’ve made so many wonderful views of old friends, and I’ve known so many superheroes for remind me just how amazing. How amazing we are every day. Whenever I feel, whenever I feel like I can or want to do something, I picture a little Joe Perry on my shoulder cheering me on and telling me to be like Nike. And I hope you remember that you’re not reaping the rewards of those seeds you planted. And I am to say this, cause I thought about it. Everyone else’s eating. But before we’ve met, I haven’t really but then the emphasis on my scope I’ve, I’ve never been shy about telling people about my desk validity because I think that’s one of my key characteristics and it’s developed who I am as a person, but I’ve never thought about reaching out to people.

And using my stroke and my brain injury and my disability as a way to do that. And without you, I wouldn’t have all these friends here. And I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I’m currently doing. And like everyone said, you’re pretty amazing even though you’re kind of asshole. So thank you, Joe.

Michael: Sorry. That was awesome. Thank you so much. And I just said, I just have to say as a gay man, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a phrase. Like I will never forget the phrase a little Joe ferry. I love that. And I’m going to use that. Okay, so next we have w we have a pretty special message.

Well, we have Tonya, who would like to share her message and a couple of.

Tonya: Andrea. I thank you for giving a fun exit on your share because that’ll help me out a little bit here. I can’t believe that went by as quickly as it did. I’m like I was crossing off names. I’m like all the sudden, like I’m super anxious.

So Joe, I was listening to music today and thinking about what I would say tonight and suddenly the talking heads popped up provoking some questions and some observations. So the first one is a question for you, Joe, have you ever found yourself living in a shotgun shack?

Joe: No.

Tonya: We know you found yourself in another part of the world in a beautiful house with a beautiful partner. Nice to meet you. Felice. You’ve likely asked yourself, where does this highway go to and due to your Catholic upbringing, you may often ask yourself, am I right? Am I wrong? We’ve all asked ourselves. How did I get here? And after listening to your stroke versary podcast, I understand quite a bit more how you got here and how lucky we all are to find ourselves here with you.

David Burns said the song was about being unconscious and on autopilot. Once in a lifetime and the same questions come up because of our memory challenges, where are we going? How did we get here? But the difference is that you, Joe reminds us that we need to be living with purpose and not just going through the motions and your vulnerability.

And openness has made me fall in love with you and not in a creepy way. And even though we haven’t met, you hold a place in my heart. And maybe someone said about a big brother and I’m definitely missing one in the three that I grew up with. You remind me a lot of him actually, Pretty closed off and post-stroke, I’m socially awkward.

And you always applaud my awkward and you always celebrate the victories I share with genuine pride and the rooms you host, not only feel safe to sharing if compelled me to speak up, when I feel like I can be of service to someone else. And that’s something that model effortlessly with your generosity spirit.

Oh my hippie brother for helping me find my voice. I needed to take a breath after that because I have been blessed with the opportunity to share some messages from Emily to Han Nyeema Maddie, Hannah, and Bridgette. They said they would have come, but they hate you. Hannah is actually on her way to China, but the rest of them all hate you.

I love you. Thank you for doing so. There’s a quote leadership and just so everyone knows these folks shared their statements with me, cause I couldn’t be online and I offered to read them. So I’ll do my best to do so eloquently. There’s a quote. Leadership is all about taking people on a journey.

The challenge is that most of the time we are asking people to follow us to places we’ve never been. That’s what Joe did. When he started building the online stroke community. Joe, you lead a group, a mid-year recovery. So many people can’t understand how emotionally fraught that can be. It takes bravery, courage and passion for showing up for people while you yourself are healing.

You’ve asked us all to have compassion with our journey, see the positive side of things and look at our experiences with humor. At the same time you have been teaching yourself all these same things. I can’t fully express the admiration I have for your goofy sense of humor and seemingly unending positivity yet.

Oddly balanced at the same time. Unfortunately, I don’t know you as well as I’d like, but I know that you are an incredible blessing to your close friends and the wider group. Thank you, Joe, for everything you’ve done by putting this group of beautiful misfits together, happy by your rebirth. We all love you comrade in training Hannah, and she’s moving to China, thus the comrades.

She wanted to qualify it. The next message. Anyone who knows me also knows I’m reserved, introverted, and do not like to share that has always been the case until two minutes into my first call with Joe. He has no idea how impactable he is. But it has an incredible way of allowing people to be transparent and speak from the heart.

Even if they didn’t know that they needed to, he became a very important contact person in my recovery, just within minutes of knowing him that connection has obviously grown over time, but still more progress than I had made in my own life for close to 30 years. I want to thank him for helping me open my mind to not only recovery but life and seeing it differently from different perspectives.

I truly appreciate him and the community he has built around himself so that I feel supported not only by him, but by our entire family. Thank you, Joe. Love Emily, Michael. I need one minute of a break because I need to rest my arms.

Michael: Oh, of course. Sorry. I couldn’t find my microphone. Of course. And while you’re resting Carrie, is Carrie there?

Carrie: All right, Joe you’re there pitting me of two of my favorite life-long quotes. It’s no surprise. They come from Dr. Seuss because you’re always making other, see the bright side of things. So as Dr. Seuss says those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter. So together we give a lot less fucks. We take things as they come. We’re never alone. And I am personally not just my injury, but I am important because as Dr. Suess says to the world, you may be one person, but to you to us, you are the world. Thank you, Joe.

Michael: Thank you so much, Carrie. And thank you for reminding me that Dr. Suess said, we can give less fucks. It makes me so happy. Now that first quote that you used about those who matter don’t mind them that are those. Those are mine. Don’t matter. It doesn’t matter. Don’t mind that one of my all-time favorite quotes.

Thank you. Thank you so much for bringing that in Tawnie you’re up.

Tawnie: So everybody just freaking hit it. Joe, you are the glue that holds everybody together. You have made this beautiful community of, I, I didn’t even know that I had a stroke. Like you had to tell me that, like everyone just shoved at me, brain aneurism.

So being able to come into this community, how you make everybody feel and the fact that you helped me learn that if you hurt, you do need to rest. Like you don’t need to push through, you don’t have to do everything all at once. And you introduced me to Maddie, give you my dang alarms.

Can’t thank you enough. Like I, and I know that we’re, you’re still here in Madigan to meet you first. It will happen. And I’m just forever grateful for you. I’m so glad that you made it through that and that you continue to share and continuing to connect everybody because we all need you, Joe, you are everybody’s friend and we’re so grateful.

And I, it is weird. I don’t remember how we met, but I’m sure, like Adrian said a couple of people who is this man? And then. Yeah, you’re just Joe. So thank you so much for everything that you do and continue to do for this community. And I just can’t wait to keep growing alongside you. So thank you so much.

Michael: Thank you, Tawnie. And very selfishly, I just want to say, when you guys do meet, I want to join in on that meeting because I haven’t met you yet and I can well in person and I can’t wait to, but thank you for being there. So Alexis you’re up next.

Alexis: Hey guys thanks for letting me talk. I am terrible at public speaking, so I apologize in advance to show and everyone else. So when I met Joe, I was about two years into my recovery and as feeling sorta like an alien on earth, just being fresh out of an aneurysm and stroke and my skull being in a few pieces, it was a shitty time. And I guess that, the cup half full half empty, that cup that everyone talks about for me was really empty.

And then Joe came along and he was the first person that really made me feel heard and understood my entire recovery. Not only did he tell me things, Hartman things, he went through post stroke and how you overcame some of those. But he also took the time to listen to me in a way others just wouldn’t.

He reminded me that I’m not alone and not only did he show me he was there, but he opened my eyes to an entire community of us. I’ll try and make this kind of, I went from feeling the loneliest I had ever felt to having an endless support system of survivors. Thanks to. And I wasn’t struggling to explain my pain and struggles anymore.

You Joe, let me do an entire community that understood and could help me find the words to explain it to those who didn’t. So to the closest out, Joan, you are one of the most incredible humans. I know, even if your cup only has a few drops left in it, you are the first to offer them up to someone in need, and you never hesitate to give more than you take a heart of gold and a smile that shines just as bright.

Thank you so much, Joe, for everything. And thank you everyone for coming along with Joe, you guys are packaged deal and thankful as heck.

Michael: Oh my God, Alexis. I’m never going to forget that metaphor of the cup. That is 100%. I’m sorry, I’m just destroyed right now.

Okay. So Tommy you’re up. Awesome. Thank you.

Tanya: Yes. So just a few more messages from people who love yet hate Joe enough. So Joe described to you how much you mean to not only me, but our entire community. Isn’t an easy task and I definitely don’t have the mental energy to even attempt it right now. But seriously, thank you. We are also thankful that you got a second chance at life and chose to make the best out of it. Not only make the best of it, but inspire people daily to make the best out of there’s to love you, Joe, you’re a little friend jet from Maddie.

Thank you, Joe. For always being awesome. You inspire me each and every day to keep pushing and working hard in my recovery. I would not be where I am today. If I had not met you, I hope you have an amazing stroke of bursary. Love you so much so proud of you and all you’ve done. And continue to do for the community.

Thank you, Joe. And from Nyeema though, I met you later than other folks, I immediately felt like you created a warm and comforting environment. I strangely stumbled into a community. I now care about thank you for creating that and thank you, Joe, for being you. And the last message that I have that was shared with me to read was from who actually recorded a voice memo that I can pass to Joe.

And he said, Hey, Joe, we’ll just wanted to pop in and say that I’ve been struggling with my mental health for a while now, since my TBI, but it just became more pronounced during the pandemic. And I’m really happy to have found this community of brain injury survivors who can immediately relate to my own struggles.

And really Joe is the catalyst to drive this community. And from his unconditional support for everyone to his emphasis on positivity during dark times for many of us even including him. So thank you, Joe, for inspiring us all and believing in each of us happy five years.

Michael: Thank you so much, Tanya, for offering to do that for everyone that couldn’t be here.

That’s amazing. Not to put anyone on the spot, but I wanted to give Felice an opportunity to speak. If there’s anything that you would like to say, I had to invite her, sorry.

Felice: Hey everyone. I had to leave the room cause we were in the same room. And so you guys would have heard feedback. Oh, this has been so amazing. I am. Blown away. It’s so interesting to be here and hear all of you speak because I’m not in those conversations that you all have with Joe. So as being Joe’s partner, I sit in a lot of times, Joe will turn to me and start talking about you all and I don’t know names. And so some of you, I know personally but some of you, I don’t know yet.

And so he’ll just start talking about you guys and and he’s so excited about your experiences and your journeys and your wins and your, just your lives. And so to hear you all speak about, sorry. Thank you for you, bro. Sorry. I didn’t know. I was going to get emotional. Give me one moment. You have 10 seconds, 10 seconds. Take a breath, breathe in, breathe out. Thank you.

Thank you all for not only being Joe’s friend and giving him a community as well, and a support system that me as his partner who is out, how does he say I’m a neuro nerd adjacent? I can’t always relate to everything that he’s going through. I can be compassionate and empathetic, but I can’t know. I don’t know what it feels like.

I, after that, that Moderna shot, I had a little bit of a brain fog and I was like, is this what it’s like? He’s it’s so much worse. And so I just. I don’t I can’t give him what you all give him. And so I’m just so thankful to you all for being Joe’s support system as well. And and giving him a new purpose in life.

This his stroke could have been the worst thing that happened to him. But instead the, his stroke was really a turning point for him. He became the person that I think he always wanted to be because he just got a new outlook on life and helping this community is really just everything to him.

It’s just everything to him. And he loves you all so much. And it’s just so amazing for me to be able to hear you all speak. Because I hear about you all the time and I don’t, and I don’t know each one of you personally, so to hear you speak and hear the other side of, I’m just really just in awe of I’m in awe of you, Joe.

I’m so proud of you. I’m so proud of what you do every day. We’re stroke survivors and brain injury survivors, and I’m just really just thankful to you all that. I don’t really have more to say. I’m speechless, thankful to you all for giving Joe purpose and also being his support system. Thank you so much.

Michael: Sorry. I couldn’t find my microphone button again. Absolutely. Thank you Jasmine for saying that was one of the things. When I saw your Instagram post the other day, I was like, the least deserves her own shout out. Like she absolutely deserves her own shout out. Like you have we think as a community, we thank you for everything you do for Joan and not only do for Joe, but do for us.

So thank you. Thank you. So I’m gonna wrap this part up really quickly. And then Joe, I will let you unmute yourself and I will let you speak. But I just want to say, Joe, you and I have talked many times about the why MES and when we do that, we never talk about the why me as an, as in, like, why did I have a stroke? But we’ve often talked about why me as an why did I survive? And I’ve just got to say, I hope this evening has shown you why you, like you were chosen to live through this and you were chosen to live through this because you have so much to give and you do so much for so many people. And from the bottom of my heart, I just, I personally just want to say, thank you for every, like you, you saved my life and I wouldn’t be here today, if it weren’t for you.

And I’ll, I will never, ever forget the very first day we met. When you said, I just want to help our community. And I hope tonight you’ve seen how much you have helped. So thank you for being you. Thank you for helping all of us. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. And thank you to everyone for being here.

And I would say everyone can unmute themselves and anyone that wants to talk like have at it, like I’ll my rules. Of course. For the first one that doc, I love it. I love that. Yeah, all the rules were thrown out the window and Joe, if there’s anything you’d like to say go forward, but don’t no obligation.

Joe: I genuinely dislike all of you people .I am, I’m literally over here dehydrated, because I don’t think I could cry anymore. I’m blown away. I’m humbled. I’m in shock. My dog is probably exhausted because she keeps coming up to me every few seconds to make sure that I’m doing okay. I, I don’t deserve all this, cause this is too much Puerto Rican, right? Or half Puerto Rican. You know what? It’s very rare that you find a Puerto Rican, that spicy food.

That’s why I said you don’t eat hot foods. No, I eat very hot food. Like I want like I’m crying now because that’s how I want to look after I eat spicy food. That’s the kind of spice that I want. I want the ghost pepper, but I am just in shock by the kindness and the love that you guys have shown to me.

And I just, honestly, I sincerely love and care for each and every one of you guys, I just want to run down the line. I’m going from bottom up. I’ll go with the start with the normie. I live with this person, I love you so much. And I, you could’ve left me in the hospital.

So all of my inappropriate jokes, all of the dumb shit that I do, it’s not my fault. You can love me. This is on you. Alexis, my, my sweet, beautiful Lex. I’m so thankful that we connected. I still, honestly don’t remember who connected us. I thought it was one person. You said somebody else, it doesn’t really matter. Your family. And I just, I adore you. And I just I’m so happy that you’re part of my extended family, Heidi. Good. Could you make me cry more? Hi. Good God. I’m so thankful for you. I’m so happy that we connected even from across the world. You live in the future. You’re from down under I’m from up over.

It doesn’t matter. We’re still on this beautiful, amazing, crazy brain injured community. Tawny, it’s crazy. It’s insane. We haven’t met in person and I’ve met people from like all over the place and we live literally probably moments away, like less than an hour away. So we’ve got to rectify that situation.

Andrea my sweet SIS. It was written in the stars that we were going to meet the night that we met. And I’m so thankful for you. And it’s just been amazing to see you on your journey through recovery, Tony, my dude, I’m so thankful for you. Your words meant the world to me, and it’s just always nice to, and I don’t, it might be a weird thing, but you’re a dude. It’s nice to speak to. another male in the brain injury community, it’s always really nice and you’re always so kind, and you’re always so helpful to everybody. And I’m so thankful for you and everything you do for everyone in the community, Jasmine, the, from all the way in Singapore, it broke my heart that you went so long without this community.

And just, I’m so thankful and happy every day that I see you connect with these people. I see your posts. And I just love that, all the five years, that doesn’t mean anything like this moment means everything and you don’t just have a community. You have a family, Adrian. I am the creeper that creeped into your DMS, like a psychopath.

Like I’ve done with a lot of you guys. Cause there’s clearly something wrong with me. I love you so much. You’re. An amazing fighter and everything that you’ve gone through to get to this point and still be as kind as you are, just blows me away. Shawna, we just met and you were just a spectacular human being.

You, you really are. I’m so thankful for you. You said some of the kindest things that really spoke to my cold black heart. I appreciate you Sherry. My sweet, amazing, beautiful Sherry. You always bring a smile on my face. Everything you do is incredible. And I say it basically every week your ex-husband can go fuck right off and I love you.

You’re amazing. I’m so thankful for you, Laura. You are crazy in the best possible way. I appreciate you so much. I’m so thankful that we connected in the way that we have. Anna, I will never ever forget your BARR story about prosthetic penises being thrown around. That is just my favorite story, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that you were one of the most spectacular people I’ve ever met.

You’re a warrior, you’re a queen. I’m so thankful that we connected bill. You’re my dude, man. You are my fellow neuro nerd. I appreciate everything that you’ve done for the community. Looking at your podcast was actually something to strive for something to look I saw what you did. And I’m like, yeah, I have to be able to do that.

So I looked to you to help improve the way that I did things. And I’m always thankful for you. And also being one of the first males that I was able to connect with and on a nerdy level, which was very beautiful to me. And I just appreciate the hell out of you, bill and everything that you do for the community.

Like we beautiful Anna from all the way across the way, one of these days. We are going to dance and it is going to be spectacular. I love you. Everything that you do, you’re an amazing, a beautiful person. You were just such a sweet person. And certain days that I don’t feel like, being as Joe, as I normally am, I’ll never forget.

There was a story that you posted where you were saying, I tried, sometimes I’ll be in a bad mood and I, and the next moment I’m just smiling and I’m laughing and I’m thankful. I’ll never forget that because that’s what it is. Bad moments, or just bad moments from one minute to the next, we can just shift it and be in a beautiful place.

And I’ve learned that from you and I love you for it. I appreciate everything that you do. You’re just amazing. Norine one of my first stroke friends. I early in my journey. I was so lonely. I was so lonely and I didn’t have anybody to talk to. And you were one of my first stroke, just not even acquaintances.

You, you were my first stroke friend and we just connected on another level. And I remember I was having a really bad night terrors from the incident I had at the hospital and I just wasn’t sleeping. And it was a good thing that you live in Australia because I was always able to talk to you at 2, 3, 4 in the morning when I wasn’t able to sleep.

You gave me a sense of normalcy. And if it wasn’t for those early conversations, I don’t think I would be here today. And I’m so thankful for you and Lorraine, you’re my family and I adore you. So I love you to pieces. It just don’t she going to make me cry again? I love y’all, but DOE you are you’re you’re a brother to me.

You’re just your most amazing human being and you deserve all of this. Yeah, I’m going to meet the staff cause I have a good cry. I don’t know if I deserve all of this. I don’t, but I appreciate all of you guys carry. We just met recently and I’m just so thankful for everything that you have been able to do for the community.

Your heart is just, it’s amazing. It really is. And our conversations, your insights is so important. Your advocacy, what you want to do is just incredible and it blows me away. I’m so thankful for you. And I look forward to connecting with you even further, Abby, we just met recently. I feel like I’ve known you forever.

I think you’re a spectacular person. I really do. I think you’re amazing. You’re hilarious. And you fight. You may be quiet, but I know that there’s just like a roaring warrior queen behind that, that SIMIT voice sometimes. Tanya. Yeah, we just met recently. I think you’re dope as fuck. We definitely have to connect further.

Every time we talk. Just happy that I know you, and you’re Cuban and Puerto Rican. We always have a little bit of a rivalry, but that’s fine. You guys stole most of our food dishes. That’s cool. I forgive you. And I’m so thankful for you. You’ve been so kind to me it’s I don’t even have the words, Michael, you Dick I, Michael.

I am. So I’m just so fucking thankful. You’re just you just mean the world to me, I’ll never forget. Early on in my recovery, Michael reached out to me, I’m a psychopath that reaches out to everybody. Michael reached out to me and I remember I looked at the DM and I was scared because it was early in my recovery.

I didn’t really do a lot of social media at the time. I was, I didn’t know how to react, how to respond. Let it go. I also had very bad short term memory loss. Thank goodness he followed up and we finally had an opportunity to connect in person. And the moment we met, the moment we just spoke, I’ve known you my entire life, Michael. It’s insane. We had we had a five minute conversation is what it felt like it was actually four hours. We could literally do that for days. We can honestly, probably talk for days without missing a beat. And it’ll just seem oh yeah, we just started like two, three minutes ago.

It’s insane. The love and care I have for you. My friend. I just I just love you, dude. I love you so much. And I thank you for all of this. This is. A feeling is mutual. It’s too much. You guys are way too kind. McKenzie. You jerk ass. I fucking love it. Yeah. You’re just such a sweet person. You have such, you guys don’t understand this.

You have such a disturbing sense of humor. Like it is bad. Now you guys all know there’s something clearly wrong with me, has nothing to do with the brain injury. That’s just who I am at my core. She might be worse. Yeah, it’s probably because she’s Canadian. I get that, but you’re just such a sweet person.

You’ve become one of my closest friends. You’ve become, a member of my inner circle of my family and I just fucking love you. You fight so hard, you go through so much shit and you do it with a smile on your face. And it inspires me every fucking day. You little pasty jerk ass. I’m so grateful for you and your community.

You guys have done nothing but welcoming. Hi, not mine. None of this is mine. This is us. This is ours. And speaking of tiny pasty people, Mimi, my beautiful Mimi fucking love you so much. I don’t have the words to describe what you mean to me. Like how we connected, how I don’t I’m at a loss now, when the fuck does that happen?

I don’t. You just you just mean the world to me, we’ve connected on such a weird level. Like our dynamic is so fucking strange. And to be honest, my dynamic with every single one of you guys is so weird. It’s unexplainable. It doesn’t make any sense, but it’s there and that’s what.

And Mimi just you’re again you’re another part of my inner circle. You’re the person I talked to, when I’m going through some crazy shit, you’re the one that reaches out to me when you’re like, Hey, how are you doing? I’m like, why are you hitting me up? You’re like, I just felt like reaching out.

And then I’ll just start bawling and crying because we have this strange connection, which doesn’t even make any sense, but I fucking love you. And I honestly feel like I don’t deserve all of this, like praise and love. Like it’s a lot. I don’t do well with receiving stuff like this. I just want to thank all of you guys, all of you guys, like I’m… there’s a lot to take in. I would run through a brick wall for each and every one of you guys. And I just fucking love you guys. Somebody else talk because I’m going to start crying.

Michael: Okay. I’m gonna, I’m gonna, I’m gonna jump in speaking of how awesome Mimi has an announcement to make.

Mimi: Yeah, just before I do that, Joe, I just, I need you to sit with the fact that for every one of us that is here, there are hundreds, thousands of others who weren’t on this call who have so many amazing things to say about you.

And I know it’s hard for you to accept these things. I know you are, you’re Catholic guilt and all that, and you are really a sweet soul. You. Are humble, but I need you to really sit with that because we need you to know that and we need you to keep going. And this was all for you. And for, just our housekeeping as we wrap up here we really do want to connect with all of you.

Sometimes it’s isolated and hard to, not be able to get in touch with everybody. And Joe has an amazing Facebook group called you so rock rock Facebook group. So please. If you’re not a part of it just in the message, let me know. I’ll add you. We’d love to just keep the conversations going about all these things that Joe helps us with.

It’s really important. He’s really guided this community and obviously we’re all very grateful for that.

This near net network, does he hold every Friday or Saturday because I needed the time where Ellie sets the morning. So does he hold this same time? Every Friday, every Wednesday and every Friday at six, I have work on the chairs.

Michael: Joe we have lots of funny stories to tell you about just even trying to organize this thing, but like we did this because we love you. And because, and not only because we love you, but because you have done so much for us and I listened to your podcast, you’re a structured person podcasts. And then I watched your Instagram thing and I immediately texted Mackenzie. And I was like, we have to do this. W we have to let him know how much he means to us.

And not only am you mean us, but like the difference that he has made in our lives and that’s why we did this and that. That’s why 25 people showed up tonight more than 25, I think showed up to share how, what a difference you have made in all of our lives. I’m just blown away. I wasn’t expecting any of this.

Joe: I don’t deserve this. I am so thankful.

Michael: It’s not about deserving anything. It’s about the fact that like you have done so much for us and you have created you’ve created a, sorry, as we’ve been talking tonight, I’ve been pouring more and more wine. So I might be stumbling over my words right now. But, and Noreen will appreciate that. Because Noreen likes wine as much as I do.

We did this job because you have seriously done so much for us. You and I would not know any of these people when I say these people and any of you guys, if it weren’t for Joe. And I feel like I have the greatest community of support because of you.

And I will never forget you and Felice driving all the way from wherever the fuck you live to to see my show in that little tiny thing. To come support me. And you’re you’re the best. You’re you’re just the best.

Joe: Hey, that show is not a little tiny show. It was not a little tiny theater. It was one hell of a production for an incredible show that you put on and you did a service for the community and I love you for it.

Michael: Thank you. I’m trying, I’m doing my best, but I’m doing my best. Just like you’re doing your best and you are, you’re making a difference.

I’ll never forget the day that I met you. After I got home, I texted you. And I said, thank you for the diff the difference that you’re making in our community. And you started crying. And I was like, that’s what I want to show him what a difference he’s made to all of us. I’m just your average everyday, Joe.

I know you use your average everyday, Joe. You’re just you’re just a big Dick, as you always say. You’re also you’re our family. You’re you’re you’re like, are you’re like our den leader our Cubmaster I’m like the cool RA. I like that. You’re the cool.

You’re absolutely the cool RA. So thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I hope you’re able to take some of this in, and I’m going to turn this over to Mimi because she has an announcement to me.

Mimi: It’s been an amazing impromptu love bomb on Joe, and to end everything, I would just love to have everyone go off mute and we could try to say, I love you, Joe. At the same time, we might be able to let’s try it.

Michael: We can do it right. I’ll come to that. Ready? 1, 2, 3.

Everybody: We love you Joe!

Joe: Oh, you guys are too sweet. I love all of you guys. And I genuinely, I just adore each and every one of you guys. I just want to say thank you to everyone for coming tonight and thank you for everyone putting up with me and all my frigging DMS and all my messages. And thank you so much for everyone.

And I’m thrilled that we did this, so thank you. Let’s go get drunk. There you go. All right. All right, guys, I’m going to go hydrate because I’m dehydrated from fucking crying. I love you guys. Please have an amazing, safe, a healthy weekend, and God, I love you guys.

Michael: Love you guys.

Joe: And there was Joe’s love fest I am completely humbled and speechless. Transpired that night, I was completely blown away and I’m so thankful. I just wanted to give a special thanks to Michael for being amazing. And coming up with the idea a special thank you to my jerk ass friend, Mackenzie for putting the route together.

Especially thank you to Adrian, to help for helping getting everybody messaging back and forth. Thank you, Tanya, for gathering all the messages from the people who actually couldn’t be in the room. Always a huge thank you to my amazing significantly better half beliefs for coming up with the idea of recording this and then taking care of all the mixing and making it sound as amazing as it always does.

I am just. Honestly, blown away. I talk a lot and I’m rarely speechless, but I’m almost speechless. I don’t really know what to say. I’m overwhelmed with emotion and I’m so thankful for every second. One of you guys, even you guys that I haven’t met yet, any survivors out there, I’m so thankful for everybody in our community.

It just, it means the world to me that I can actually have an impact on anyone, let alone so many people. I’m just so very thankful. And on that humble, appreciative note, you can reach out to me at Joseph rocks and all the socials. You can reach out to Lauren L Manzano on Instagram. You can reach out to us at the neuron.

Everywhere from the bottom of my heart. I am so blessed to know all of you. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. I love you all dearly. I would run through a brick wall for all of you guys. And on that slightly emotional note, this neuro nerd is out!