Brushes with a Stroke

Veteran Fleet Street sportswriter and stroke victim Neil Harman tells seven vivid sporting stories: tales of doubt, fear and ultimately of fierce determination in the face of a frightening condition.


A former SJA Sports News Reporter of the Year, Neil suffered a brain haemorrhage on May Bank Holiday 2023, spent four months in hospital and had to face a retirement very different from the one he had planned. This inspirational book includes:


 • Neil’s own deeply personal story as well as interviews with six people from the world of sport who have suffered a stroke, including the great Olympian Michael Johnson and former captain of the Australian rugby union side Michael Lynagh

 • Vivid descriptions of the stresses and strains of life on a stroke ward, where hope is so often in short supply but where sadness and humour mix in the strangest of atmospheres

 • A candid account of how not only the life of the stroke victim is turned upside down but how their family and friends cope with the personality changes that inevitably follow such a physical and mental upheaval

 • Analysis of the key elements that can assist a successful rehabilitation from a stroke – strength, positivity, patience, inspiration and a never-say-die attitude


This powerful book will provide inspiration to those living each day with the debilitating effects of a stroke, showing there can be light at the end of the tunnel.