Wheaton Teen Wesley Freeman Battles to Regain Mobility After Rare Spinal Stroke at 15

A few months back, Wesley Freeman was a vibrant 15-year-old from Wheaton, actively participating in high school sports and eagerly anticipating the summer break. Today, the young athlete is on a challenging journey to recover, having been left paralyzed by an exceptionally rare stroke.

Wesley is now determinedly working towards regaining his ability to walk.

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Approximately ten weeks have passed since Wesley’s life took an unexpected turn with the stroke that altered the course of his and his family’s future. The cause of this rare medical event remains a mystery to his doctors, but Wesley’s focus is firmly set on his path to recovery.

While his peers are enjoying the freedoms of summer vacation, Wesley dedicates his time to intensive rehabilitation. After the stroke in March left him paralyzed, he is committed to regaining movement with the help of the dedicated medical team at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.

“I want to be able to walk,” Wesley expressed. “Walking is kind of important to me.”

Prior to his stroke, Freeman was a promising golfer, recently achieving his first hole-in-one. He was eagerly anticipating the opportunity to compete on his high school’s varsity team in the upcoming season.

He was at a golf lesson when he started feeling numbness. He suffered what he later learned was a stroke. Despite multiple MRIs and cat scans doctors have been unable to find the cause.

Now, many of his friends and teammates are visiting him regularly in the hospital, and the community has rallied around fundraising efforts on his behalf with the slogan “Win Fore Wes.” It’s been overwhelming for his family.

“It feels like an envelope of love just wrapped around us,” his mother Rosemarie Freeman said.

His room is filled with pictures of friends and family and memories of happy times. His mother has created a win board in his room to document his progress.

Matt Freeman/Father tc 19:12

“We’re just celebrating every little thing because those things add up,” his father Matt Freeman said.

And his dad has vowed not to shave until he is released from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. For his part, Wesley says he’s trying to maintain a positive attitude because his mental state plays an important role is recovery, but he has his moments.

“I do feel sorry for myself, but I try to hide it, try to stay positive,” Wesley Freeman said.

Wesley was able to finish up his sophomore year of high school studies. He’s planning on returning in the fall for his junior year at Wheaton North High School. The family is still trying to figure out what that will look like.