Sarah Scott: Two Years After a Stroke at 18 - Broca's Aphasia 

We're happy to see you've improved so much! Please keep posting and updating us. We hope you make even greater strides in your continuing improvement.

Sarah, your maturity shines through in this video! And props to your mom for being so extremely patient and supportive! Even the birds were singing and cheering you on!!

wow!! your vocabulary has really expanded!! that's awesome. glad you're doing so well.

There is so much wisdom and inspiration from Sarah in this video. She's figured out something many people never will. Thank you for your message 🙏

We've been watching these videos in my Linguistics course, and they've been a great example of Broca's Amphasia- super helpful. Thanks so much for making these videos! Sarah, you're such an inspiration. We all wish you the best with life!

Cases like yours inspire me to become a neuroscientist, it shows me that there is always hope no matter what happens, although my dad could not make it through his stroke, I still believe that there is hope for others. I am presenting a speech in my class and you are my inspiration, Thanks :)

This is amazing, I'm so happy to see this update. In two short years you've progressed incredibly in your recovery. I remember watching the first video and using it as a learning tool in medical school and to see this latest update, just amazing.

My husband is 33 and had a stroke 4 months ago. He has aphasia, we have just discovered you Sarah and you have given my husband hope that his speech will come back.

@Aphelionite thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Sarah was always told that writing was her 'gift' so you can imagine how hard it has been to lose that skill.

My boyfriend also had a stroke 5/22/09. He is still progressing also. This is a great thing you have done by recording Sarah's progress. I wish we would have done the same. He also has tried his driving test about 4 months ago and had failed the written 3 times.

Sarah, you are beautiful and an inspiration to us all. Thank you so much for posting!

I have watched all of Sarah Scott's videos, and find them very inspiring! It is not everyday that we get a glimpse into a young person's recovery process, and it is very helpful to many young professionals (psychologists, doctors, speech-language pathologists, etc) to see this recovery process.

Sarah- Your progress is truly amazing. You have grown so much and your attitude is unbelieveable. You are quite beautiful and your love of life is fantastic. Keep that same wonderful spirit that makes you who you are. Best of luck to you in the future and thank you so much for showing others how to really appreciate what we have and to be truly happy.

Sarah you're an absolute superstar, your progress is incredible and your strength, patience and fortitude are really inspiring! xox

What type of person "Dislikes" a video like this?

That... After viewing the first two videos--- that's a remarkable improvement in terms of returning to a state of fluency in sentence production. Full, comprehensible sentences. Your daughter has an amazing frontal lobe. Good work on that degree of recovery!

Thank you so much for posting. My wife Sarah has aphasia following a traumatic brain injury 12 years ago, she just wanted me to tell you that after her injury she went on to have a family and now has 2 girls now aged 10 and 7 and they are gorgeous and well she just wanted you to know that

I just watched all your videos that you have on RU-vid. Sarah's Story is very inspiring. My father in law had stroke year ago. I wish, he would be so optimistic as Sarah is! She did amazing progress! I wish her all the best. I hope. you will record her progress, so everybody can see how amazing she is! Take care. Sincerely, Pavlina Dropka

my psych teacher showed us your first video today, and your progress is amazing. keep it up, and keep updating!

Just viewed your video with our son that had a brain aneurysm rupture when he was 17. He has the same aphasia as you. You are such a blessing and this was so encouraging. Keep working hard and it gets easier. He is 26 and married now to a wonderful woman. Keep encouraging people with this same issue. Blessings friend' Kelley Trulove

Your videos are encouraging. Thank you for your bravery with regard to posting them. I suffered a stroke two weeks ago. I am regaining control over my writing fairly quickly, though I must re-read everything several times. My speech started coming back quickly, but has since declined noticeably. Oddly however, I can sing. My stroke hit the left hemisphere of my brain. Thanks again. Listening to you reminds me there are others dealing with this problem. God bless.

Watching Sarah is like watching my boyfriend they are so very similar with their progress. He was 32 when he had the stroke so being younger has it's advantages. He really wants to work again. We found a stroke support group finally and there are many young people who are going through the samething. They also have an Aphasia support group that we will be attending in a few weeks. Good luck to you Sarah keep up the hard work.

Thank you for your comment and all the best with your recovery. It's interesting that you can still sing - Sarah's can't do that, although I understand many people can as it's more automatic than trying to have a conversation. Take care and good luck!

Yes, it will be improving slow but steadily. I am so glad to see her video again, go Sarah! Just don't fret over it, because you have marvelous right brain and wonderful people by your side! You 're so young and your brain is still developing I know you will improve even after 1 year. Writing comes at the end, I know. Some people don't like it, but singing karaoke also worked for me. Try and you may like it. God bless you Sarah!

Sarah and Joanie, So glad to see progress and so glad as well to see your amazing outlook on life. Don't give up. And don't give up on your dreams! Go Sarah! Anthony

Thank you for taking the time to comment - we wish you both all the best. 34 is young, that must have been a terrible shock. Good luck with his rehabilitation.

I'm glad I came upon these videos. Every time she tried to think of a word and said them I cheered on the inside. Best wishes and keep it up.

your words of wisdom on how to let go of the past and be in the now, are exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you Sarah!

@searchingmother so sorry to hear about Coleton's illness and disability - hope he had a good birthday! Sarah is 21 this weekend, so it's a happy time despite the challenges she faces. I don't know where you live, but here in the UK, positive help has come from support groups like Headway and Connect and the support of speech therapists. Friendships can be one of the most difficult things to maintain after a brain injury and many people can become depressed it's worth getting him assessed.

Thank you so much for your comment. I had the same operation that Sarah had, in January, following my stroke in November. I feel good!

Hi! I'm also an medical student from Austria and at the moment i learn about Aphasia. Reading in my books did not give me any glue what aphasia ment to be. As Sarah is as old as i am it really touched me in a positiv way, seeing her fighting such a difficult fight very optimistic. I think when you look at her you can see how smart she is and i am confinced that she will work hard to get back to a certain level of fluent speach. Thank you for the courage to share this video, it helped me alot!

Thanks a lot for keeping us updated. And glad to see her improvement

This is so inspiring, I don't know anyone who has had a stroke but this has given me the awareness to be able to spot it, and also understand it. So glad to see you are happy. I watched all your video's on here and I really hope everything you do works out for you. All the best

Everyone knows the feeling when a certain word is on the tip of your tongue. I can't even comprehend the frustration that might cause having this feeling all the time. It's good to see that you haven't let that get to you. It's interesting how you managed to keep up a fluid conversation if either side kept their responses short and concise. The longer you had to keep talking without a response, the harder it got to form complete sentences. I only wish you the best with everything you do.

You are doing so well. No-one will ever know you're troubles like you do. Your mum is a fantastic person and you are a beautiful girl inside and out. I'm 21 and studying psychology and it breaks my heart to see this happening to you but you are a testament to human spirit. Keep pushing harder and harder and never stop and lots of other people will never respect language and communication like you do. All the best, Tarik.

Hello! I'm a brazilian medical student, and Sarah's case helped me a lot to understand the aphasia (thank you so much!) and the potencial such patients have to improve. At first I saw the first video, and then I jumped to the third and got amazed! What a great improvement! I got very happy! She seems to be a very nice and beautiful girl, and I can say I am proud for her! I wish you the best! Keep on trying to improve, and I'll be here rooting for you! Good bye!

Sarah, my compliments on your progress!! Please keep on posting as we want to see your progress. My daughter told me about the Utube sites for aphasia. She is a graduate student for speech therapy in Chicago. I am so proud of her to think that she can change lives and help people.

We saw your first video during a lecture and are truly amazed by the way you are coping. You made great progress in those 2 years. Keep on being such a determined person.

Thanks for posting this video. This video is really helpful for me in my psych class.

@wolfumz hello! Sarah is looking at her medical bracelet, which lists her condition, including aphasia. Although she has problems reading, she can often look at single written words and they prompt her to say them out loud. The bracelet is handy in case she is in an accident - paramedics can phone the number on the bracelet and find out up to date medical history.

@luispaulovborges Hi Luis! Thank you for getting in touch and leaving a comment - it really means a lot to Sarah. Pretty cool to think people as far away as Brazil are watching the video!

Thanks so much for the posted videos following Sarah's progress! Although aiming to be a future medical student, I'm currently studying aphasia and how the brain processes speech in order to present it for speech class. Your story, Sarah, has really been an aid in my understanding of this complex subject. Again, thanks for taking the time to share and I wish you the best of luck as you continue to improve and keep an amazing positive attitude about your situation! You're truly an inspiration.

I wondered how Sarah and the family are doing many times when I use facebook most of all. I was pretty happy when I noticed the update today! Sarah sounds amazing, the positive attitude is great and Sarah looks wonderful (love your hair!). I wish you all the best! X

Your story and progress is inspiring!! My Professor showed the videos of your progress in class today, and we were all taken aback and really impressed by how well you've been doing! You're story has inspired me to never back down from accomplishing your dream! Thank you Sarah! And good luck in the rest of your progress!!

My god you're the best!! Thanks Miss Sarah's mom for doing and uploading the videos on youtube! and Sarah, I hope this is not anoying you, because it helps us a lot!! (Yes i'm another neuroscience student) Yes the videos are inspiring for the people who have suffered a stroke, but it is so inspiring for us too! And it might also be inspiring for people who are only in search of inspiration! If I wasn't already married, I would probably propose to u! Hugs and kisses from Québec!

@BeeBrains thanks for leaving a comment! Sarah can read some single words so driving locally isn't a problem. Sat Nav will probably be a great help once she is driving on her own. She can also learn new things, so looking at road signs will help. She had a proper assessment before she started lessons and is having them with a specialist who works with disabled people with cognitive impairments. Hope that helps!

Thank you, Sarah loves reading these comments and it makes her happy!

Such a lovely young lady!

Thankyou for posting the update, lots of progress seems to have happened since the last video! The support group charity sounds like an excellent project too! I hope the driving tests go well, good luck :-)

My husband suffers from aphasia after his stroke at 34 from a bilateral carotid dissection 2 months ago. This is amazing! It makes me hopeful of my husbands recovery process.

@kinsellas93 thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! Glad it is of help - we didn't realise that when we recorded the videos but it's good!

i just watched your video's after learning about aphasia at university. being the same age as you, i find you a real inspiration. I cant imagine what it would be like to go through but you have handled yourself so well and made amazing progress. Good luck everything and keep smiling :)

@Dobro5 thank you and good luck with your studies! It's amazing that people from Austria (and all over the world) are seeing Sarah's video. It's awesome!

I'm glad I watched this series. Sarah clearly improved a lot since the first one. She seems really cool too. I hope she continues to recover steadily.

Sarah, keep working hard, you have come so far already.

Wow, I watched the first video in class a year ago as we were studying aphasia, and now watching this, it's obvious her speech is so much better! Well done :)

Thanks for putting up another video. It's good to see the progress in her recovery. I really do hope she will fully recover and also achieve her ambitions one day. Always in my prayers. Greetings from Singapore.

Absolutely inspirational. I was amazed, in your second video, about how much progress you had made and how you were trying really hard to not write things down. There was a little bit of negativity at the beginning of this video but please keep your head up, ive got all my fingers and toes crossed that you make a full recovery at some point! Keep smiling that beautiful smile and i just have to say that your hand gesture for book is quite adorable :P

I can't believe how much better your speech is!! You're progress is very inspiring :) Can't wait for the next update!

Sarah, you have made such great progress!!! I have followed you on "RU-vid" from your first video and I am amazed at your high spirits, hard work and tremendous progress. You are honestly a unique person. I havent met you before but I am proud of you. Keep up the good work! It is amazing how the brain makes new connections to do the same things as before the stroke. Good luck Sarah. I hope that you will keep updating your progress. I am truly interested in your progress.

you are amazing Sarah, I saw your progress with the last 2 videos. It's amazing. Good luck with your driving test! You know I don't ride horses myself. Now after I see how you have improved even more, I think everything is possible.

You know I've sat here and tried to imagine what it would be like not to be able to express myself verbally or be able to read or write and I don't think I could imagine anything more frustrating. It must be so isolating, especially in the beginning. As a writer I've often sat there groping around for a word, I think I'd go mad feeling that way perpetually. Your determination and optimistic outlook are truly inspirational and I have no doubt that you'll continue to make strides. Best of luck!

Thank you Rachel and we both wish you lots of luck with your studies!

@skippy1956 thanks for leaving a comment! It has been a tragedy, but in some ways it's changed our lives for the better. We have the chance to try new things and have met people that we would never have known before! Sarah has lost a lot, but also gained some new experiences.

Sarah, great effort, and thanks for another inspiring video. I hope there is another. I hope the test went well.

Thank you both so much for sharing your experiences. I talk about expressive and receptive aphasias in my neuroscience course at Boston College, and am going to use your first and last videos to demonstrate the symptoms, as well as the amazing plasticity and repair potential of our brains! Keep up the hard work, it will continue to pay off. - Joe

@chezbeds hi Cheryl and Lin - thanks for watching Sarah's videos! It was great to meet you today x

@TheJoanna0722 thanks for leaving a comment, it's really nice to know that people care.

You are doing better with each update! :0) I've found that improvement doesn't really have a time limit. I just got some temperature sensation in my feet almost four years post stroke. :0) Keep on being awesome!

Sarah and Joanie, you're both amazing! Sarah, glad to see you progressing so well :) x

I can see the difference between the first video and this! Keep on smiling! :)

@invinciblemode thank you! Sarah came to Singapore last year and we loved the beautiful gardens (and the shopping). Thank you for your good wishes :)

It's a wonderful improvement. that sweet girl is an inspiration to me since I have aphasia.

Hey Sarah, Global Aphasia June 18 , stroke 2022 . Speech therapy - slowly...... Best of luck !!!!

You're doing so well Sarah! I can't believe how much your speech is improving. You have a brilliant attitude, you must be a joy to everyone you know. I'm glad you're happy :) I agree with Fergie, you look like Kaya Scodelario! I hope the driving is going well, that the cooking is fun and that you can find something in biology that's perfect for you. I used to work in a lab and I bet you could find something interesting to do. Maybe as a lab tech in a private/NHS med lab? Good luck+keep smiling!

It is really great to see how well you are doing Sarah, as other comments have mentioned, you can really see a great improvement. A really mature look on life, an inspiration to everyone. Keep up all the hard work! x

Way to go Sarah! :-) Fun to see your amazing progress.

Dear Sara! it's so inspiring seeing your progress :-) thank you for sharing all this with us. In your third video you mentioned you used to write, and now not anymore, if you like to write.. I wanna say there are many ways of doing it..one that I want to suggest to you is :photography! :) It's like the desire of holding a moment..writing a moment! (I actually I read this somewhere today!) And if u like try chess as well. it helps a lot for memory and concentration.All the best of luck for u!

Your story is so inspiring, I've watched all three videos and you have gotten so much progress. And also I love how in every video you dye your hair a different color. I love it!

Congratulations Sarah - so much progress since the first video! Your determination and positive attitude are so inspiring. And well done Mum :)

@lejeunesage thanks for your comment! Two years might seem like a long time, but aphasia recovery can be a slow process - we know people who are still making small improvement after twenty years!

wow, an amazing improvement from the first video, this case is a wonderful help to anybody studying in the healthcare field!! all the best with the future and thank you for posting, people who are close to you may not notice the vast differences but people watching the updates are definately noticing this keep up the good work! :)

@links0311 thanks for leaving a comment! It's good that you see an improvement, one of the reasons we did the videos was to show Sarah how much she is changing, if you live with aphasia it's hard to see gradual improvements. Good luck in med school!

Great progress! You are doing a fantastic job Sarah! Our brains are amazing organs and you are proof of their plasticity and resilience in creating and repairing neuronal connections, even after such a traumatic event. Keep up the hard work! It shows! God bless you and your family :)

@UseBefore2007 thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, it means a lot to us. Sarah actually suggested making the third video, I think it's a good sign that she is still so determined to raise awareness of stroke in younger people.

@onepieceofgumleft thank you :) I've always said Sarah is mature for her age and I think she definitely has shown courage beyond her years.

@SymphUK Thank you and best of luck for the whole of your life.

@Whiskers1227 Sarah wanted to speak so she was against learning sign language, I think it's something we might have tried if speech therapy hadn't worked. Thank you for your lovely comment and for taking time to watch the video :)

Hi Sarah...I'm so glad you've posted another video : ) And I'm so happy to see your speech is still improving !! I think you're an amazing inspiration, and your strength, courage, and positive attitude set an unbelievable example for others dealing with adversity. Thankyou again for taking the time to share your story. The way you're dealing with everthing carries with it so many great messages and lessons, and it shows a maturity well beyond your years. Sending you the best from Canada : )

@gerntrash thank you for your kind words and comments :)

You are so inspirational Sarah! I watched your first video in my linguistics class today and I'm so happy to see the progress you've made since you filmed that! Please keep us updated :)

There's a really amazing improvement from the first video, and a great improvement from the last one as well. Keep it up! You have more people cheering for you than you even realize!

Sarah, YOU GO GIRL! I just watched the two other videos of yours and your progress is incredible. Keep up the fight because you're winning :)

Hey lovely sarah, glad to see your progress and getting better. Wish you the best 👍

Huge difference in the videos, so great job, Sarah! I think this is so wonderful, and I hope you keep us updated as to her progress. Also, I noticed from a comment on another video that you were awaiting surgery a while back for a stroke of your own - I hope your recovery goes just as well as Sarah's has! Please keep us updated :)

@Eklipse113 thanks for your comments, I believe a positive attitude can help a lot, not everyone is as lucky as Sarah in that respect, but it makes it easier for her and for all around her.

Very best wishes. You are doing very well. How courageous you are.

just wanted to say congrats on your recovery, I've watched all three of your videos and your story's quite inspiring :) and also as a medical student these videos are a great representation thank you and good luck for the rest of your journey :)

@realestatesavant1 thank you so much for your comment - we hope that Marcus continues to improve and we'll look for your RU-vid channel!

@kazukoogasawara thank you for your comment! Sarah finds that losing the ability to read is one of the worst things - she was halfway through the final Twilight book when she had her stroke and she loved to read. I hope and pray some day she'll be able to read again.