Syracuse University alumna Darleen Santore’s life changed unexpectedly when she was 25 years old.
During her time as an occupational therapist at Gaylord Hospital, she had a stroke that left her with a blood clot in her brain. As a result, doctors said that she could die any day.
“It was like, if this clot dislodges I could die, and I’m thinking, ‘then I need to go live life even more and I’m not going to live in fear. I want to go and help people,’” she said.
Santore received treatment for the clot and eventually recovered with the help of a mentor at the hospital, who taught her to regain her strength and what it means to live life to the fullest. It’s a lesson she now teaches to others through her mental coach career as “Coach Dar.”
