How a young stroke survivor beat panic and anxiety and got her life back
To prepare for her first half marathon, Kandi Schmitz signed up for a 5km run. Six friends and family members decided to join her.
The race in Melbourne, in the US state of Florida, was a two-hour drive from Schmitz's home near West Palm Beach. So she decided to make a beach getaway out of it.
By the time hotel reservations were made, the entourage had swollen to more than 20, including Schmitz's husband and their two young sons.
On race day in 2015, Schmitz, then 31, and her fellow runners woke up early and left their families back at the hotel.
The first 45 minutes of the run went smoothly. But with the finish line in sight, Schmitz felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder, like a pinched nerve.
Suddenly she felt lightheaded and feared she would pass out. She sat down on the pavement and put her head between her knees. With the ocean breeze on her face, she felt a little better. But she did not feel stable enough to make it over the finish line.
Her friend Kayla Cabrera, who had already finished, noticed her on the ground and went to help.
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