Shayne’s life changed in a split second on the road, but he refused to let that moment define what came next.
In 2022, life began to shift for Shayne and his family when his wife, Benjilynn, was diagnosed with cancer. It was the start of a challenging time, but one they faced together. Then, just a couple years later, their life took another unexpected turn — this time, for Shayne.
In June 2024, while riding his motorcycle just outside of Red Deer, Shayne was involved in an accident. At first, it didn’t seem severe.
“I was almost going to get up and ride my bike home,” he recalls.
But something wasn’t right, and the seriousness of the situation quickly became clear.
At the emergency room in Red Deer, Shayne remembers checking in, then everything went dark. He had suffered a stroke.
He was rushed to acute care, where he spent nearly seven weeks in the ICU, followed by three months on the stroke unit. From there, he continued his recovery in a specialized brain injury rehabilitation program in Ponoka. When he arrived, he had no function and very little sensation on his entire left side.
For seven months, Shayne focused fully on recovery.
“He was very driven this whole time,” his wife shares. “He put everything he had into his recovery.”
That determination began to show. By the time he left the centre, Shayne had regained enough strength to begin taking steps and move more independently again.
Before his stroke, Shayne owned a plumbing and heating company and spent years working with his hands in a physically demanding career. One of his biggest concerns during recovery was what life and work would look like moving forward, and whether he would ever regain enough function to return to the work he knew so well.
During rehabilitation, he was encouraged to explore new interests, which led him to work on videos. What began as a way to learn something new gradually turned into a newfound passion. Using footage from his journey, Shayne started building a podcast and an online community, sharing his experience and connecting with others along similar journeys.
After being discharged from Ponoka, Shayne started outpatient therapy at the Glenrose. He describes the experience as the highlight of his recovery.
“It was phenomenal,” he says.
Therapy sessions took place two to three times a week, combining physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Over time, he progressed from relying primarily on a wheelchair to using a walker.
“I’m able to go so many more places with the walker,” he says.
At the Glenrose, therapy was tailored to real-life goals, from lifting bins out of a truck to preparing for outdoor activities. Technology also supported his recovery. Using the CAREN, a computer-assisted rehabilitation environment, Shayne was able to safely challenge his movement and build endurance.
By the time he completed his program, he was walking with a single cane.
Today, Shayne continues to build on his progress, and his podcast — which has now grown to over 50 episodes. He uses the platform as an opportunity to share his experiences, reflections, and reconnect with the individuals who supported him along the way.
“I’m able to go so many more places with the walker,” he says.
This Stroke Awareness Month, Shayne is sharing his story through his Upstroke Documentary, giving a closer look at his journey from the early moments in acute care to his ongoing recovery. Join us at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital’s Bill Black Auditorium on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 12 pm (noon). To attend, RSVP, here.
