Minnesota Teen Who Suffered Stroke Speaks Out

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A teenager who suffered a stroke talked about it just days after getting out of the hospital.

Doctors at Abbott Northwestern credit Cole Fossland's positive outcome with how quickly the Coon Rapids High School sophomore got to the hospital and was able to be treated.

"I am going to remember this for the rest of my life," Cole Fossland said.

The athletic 16-year-old suffered a stroke while at his girlfriend's house.

"We were just hanging out regular Monday after school. I see him just gradually coming down, his left side going limp by the second," Ellie Biggins said.

"I was confused because I didn't know exactly what was going on," Fossland said.

Biggins called 911 -- and Cole's mom -- and her quick thinking proved critical.

"As is true for everything, with a stroke we try to do it quickly because the quicker you get blood back to the brain the better people do," Dr. Mark Young said.

He had something called a thrombectomy.

"Which is basically going up with a catheter -- a large tube -- and suctioning the clot out," Dr. Yasha Kayan said.

Kayan said a tear in the lining of his artery caused Cole's stroke. While a traumatic injury or even sports could cause a tear in a young stroke patient, doctors believe Cole's was spontaneous. Doctors discharged Cole four days later.

"He's made a dramatic recovery," Kayan said.

"I feel fine now," Fossland said. "I feel almost back to normal. There's some weakness in my left side, but not terrible."

"We're definitely going to try to live healthier and have fun every day and live life to the fullest," Cole's mom, Dana Fossland, said.

Doctors said you should seek medical attention immediately if you experience symptoms of a stroke: sudden weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty with speech or vision, imbalance or dizziness.