The tingling in his lip wasn’t from spicy wings. It was a stroke at 18.

During a lunch break from his job selling shoes, 18-year-old Julian Nelson reached for a chicken wing when he felt a tingling sensation on the right side of his lip.

Then the tips of his right fingers tingled. Soon, his entire hand became numb. He couldn’t even hold his food.

Julian knew the problem wasn’t from the spicy wings. Something else was happening, something “super weird” – unlike anything he’d ever felt.

He told his boss about it. Then he called his girlfriend. After hanging up, he lost control of the entire right side of his body.

Julian was taken to a hospital in Oakland, California, where he learned he was having a stroke – and that he needed to be transferred to a hospital in Redwood City about 35 miles away that was better equipped to care for him.

His stroke was caused by brain arteriovenous malformations, or bAVMs, on the left side of his brain. The malformations are tangled webs of abnormal blood vessels in the brain that only become known once they cause bleeding, seizures or headaches. While bAVMs are rare, when they occur, it’s typically in young adults.

When Julian regained consciousness, he was surrounded by family. His grandmother, Gloria Nelson, kept wondering, “How could Julian, who was just 18 years old, have a stroke?”

Before the stroke, Julian was active – jogging, cycling, hiking and regularly working out. The stroke left him in need of physical, occupational and speech therapy. He told his therapists his goal was to go home able to walk and talk.

He left the hospital able to talk and walk with a cane.

In addition to working at the shoe store, Julian had been attending community college. The following year, he was planning to go back to school. Then came a setback.

“One day I pulled up in front of my grandparents’ house and right when I was about to get out of the car, I had a seizure,” Julian said. “My grandfather, he just happened to be walking out, and he saw me and called the ambulance.”

The stroke was in 2005, and the seizures started a year later. Julian estimates that he’s had about 15 seizures. Today, he takes medication to help keep them under control. In 2008, he underwent brain surgery to remove the damaged tissue surrounding an aneurysm.

Julian still feels weakness in his right hand and struggles with fine motor skills in his right foot. He continues to work on strengthening and improving both.

In recent years, Julian has overcome getting shot multiple times while being mugged, and the death of his wife.

“He’s had a lot of sad things in life to deal with, but with each negative thing that he’s had to survive or deal with in life, his faith has gotten him through,” Gloria said.

In March 2025, Julian remarried. He and his wife are expecting a baby girl in November.

Julian takes pride in persevering. He’s sharing his story in hopes of encouraging others to persevere through whatever challenges they’re facing.

“We’re able to do a lot more than we think we’re able to do,” he said. “If you believe that, it can be a reality.”

Understanding your personal risk factors can help you make choices that support your health and reduce the risk of another stroke. Stay connected with the latest resources by signing up for our Stroke Connection e newsletter at Stroke.org/StrokeMonth.

Stories From the Heart chronicles the inspiring journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, caregivers and advocates.