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After suffering a stroke, a local man has many reasons to celebrate this Father’s Day

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BOSTON — Even though it’s Father’s Day, every day is a day to celebrate for one local dad. He’s had quite the roller coaster of ups and downs—from suffering a stroke—to running the Boston Marathon—then his wife delivering twin boys. All of those big life moments—wouldn’t be possible without the top-level health care he and his family received.

Tim Rafferty and his wife Allison have their hands full with 19-month-old twin boys. Tim would much rather have this—compared to the unknowns of what could’ve been—if he didn’t receive the life-saving care he surprisingly needed five years ago when he was working out at the gym.

“Then all of a sudden, I got super dizzy, disoriented, and then I had, like, a weight in my hand that kind of, like, fell to the ground,” said Tim Rafferty. “And then I realized that I couldn’t talk, and then I couldn’t move the left side of my body, and I could tell something was seriously wrong.”

Tim had a hemorrhagic stroke. He was rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“There was about 20 people in this ER unit and I’ve never seen so many people all working in this like organized, chaotic matter and they’re all there just to take care of you,” said Tim.

Dating at the time, Allison knew instantly this was the person she wanted to care for the rest of her life—no matter what the doctors were saying at that moment.

“He just got some really bad news that he might not ever walk again,” Allison remembered a nurse told her. “And at that moment, I burst out into tears for about eight seconds and she’s like, but he really needs you. And so I just, like, sucked it all up. And I walked inside and I was like hey babe!”

Tim was eventually moved to Spaulding Rehab, where he continued to regain his ability to walk. Not only did he fully recover, but two years post-stroke—Tim completed the Boston Marathon with the Spaulding team.

“What better way to give back to them than to run the marathon in appreciation of what they did for me,” said Tim.

Because of the top-notch care Tim received through Mass General’s Brigham Healthcare System, the Rafferty’s knew that was the place to go for Allison’s pregnancy. And they got another surprise during the ultrasound.

“Do you see a baby in there, and she’s like, I see two babies. I’m like, what?” said Allison.

Almost three years to the date of Tim’s stroke, the couple was back at the hospital—this time bringing new life into the world. But one of the boys had to be whisked away into the NICU for a week.

“The second time around, even though it was a little scary, you know, we were able to provide them with a lot of support and, get them through a wonderful pregnancy and, and have the joy of delivering their boys,” said Dr. Carolina Bibbo, the Director of the Comprehensive Care Center for Multiples.

The family of four is happy and healthy…

“As they wake up in the morning, it’s just like chaos, but in the best way,” said Allison.

Tim and Allison feel incredibly lucky to have that chaos around them.

“There were times in my life where I wouldn’t have dared dream of what I have now, because I wouldn’t have thought it was possible,” said Allison. “And I just, I never forget or miss an opportunity to just appreciate what I have. It’s beautiful.”

Tim has occasional checks with his doctors to make sure he is healthy and is doing fine. He plans on spending this Father’s Day going for a ride on his motorcycle and enjoying the day with his family.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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