The 2022 “Rally at the Alley” Industry Fundraiser for Joe Reynoso, from Creative Dimensions, returns to Splitsville at Foxborough’s Patriot Place on May 5th. Read Joe’s story, and get involved by sponsoring or registering below.

Dear Friends,

Here is my story of how life can change in an instant and how one reacts to that change will make all the difference in the world.

My name is Joe, I am a father of 8 precious little one's (ages 6months-15yrs old, pic attached), a husband to an amazing wife and a proud member of the Trade-Show Industry. A new fact I never expected to add to my list is of also being a major stroke/brain bleed survivor and as importantly a fighter to gain back the full life I had.

Putting my little twin girls (identical twins) back in bed one night I had what the Drs. call a Dural Venous Sinus Thrombosis. A fancy word for a situation where No blood was exiting my brain. One of the two main veins that feed our brains was dangerously blocked on the exit side (a bad and serious situation that builds up pressure in your brain). By a pure miracle I was able to be transported to an excellent major hospital where treatment was administered. A flight for life high speed ambulance ride to St. Luke's medical center then straight into the Neuro ICU. Many days later I can remember asking my wife "where am I", "how long have I been there" weeks was the reply. It's a wired thing to lose huge blocks of time from your memory/life. They (the many doctor's involved in my care) put me in a coma to help with the brain swelling/heat and also filled me with meds, I was intubated and had only brief moments of awake time. The Doc's told my wife that if I lived the next 72hrs my prognosis was good? To say this was Scary would be the understatement of understatements. At the time I had no idea that I would be spending the better part of the next 18months learning to walk again, learning to read again, learning to speak and think again. Your brain is the hard drive of your body, it informs every function and controls more than you can imagine, memory (short and long term), energy levels and oddly, feelings/emotions. Mine was wiped out and broken. I am now the owner of a permanent (golf ball size clot where the bleed occurred). The clot has not "resolved” itself and as of my last MRI it is still there (I have a pic of this mass). I use it to remind me that God created our bodies to be resilient and dynamic. That God has given us the ability to heal and as my boss would say to "PRESS ON”.

As trade show/event professional's I am sure you can relate to this statement "The Show Must Go On". And so, it does, for me it just looks very different than I thought it would. The many challenges both medical and financial (Brain bleeds are expensive), even so the "Show must Go On".

Complaining to my rehab doc one day that I still have major "deficiencies", "challenges", "issues" with walking, thinking, reading, etc. He was kind enough to remind me that over 75% of the people who had the type of brain bleed that I had are "DEAD". He said, "God isn't done with me yet, I have 8 beautiful children to raise, an amazing wife to support and a full life to get back to". This new life is very different than the one I had. The "recovery" continues and is full of many challenges both small and great, but God is good through it all.

It's my prayer that my story will inspire you to "PRESS ON" and make the life you have worth living, whatever that means for you! I think of this point every day as I continue to "recover" most days its "One minute" at a time other times its "One hour" at a time and by the end of the day its "One day" at a time. Ready to do it again the next day!

Friends always remember the results are God's, the effort is yours. But He (God) gives us the strength and grace to keep going. So keep moving forward and make your life the best you know how to make it... PRESS ON!