Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery, & My Return to the NFL (Unabridged)

As a linebacker for the New England Patriots, who had just won their third Super Bowl in four years, Tedy Bruschi was no stranger to pain or to overcoming a challenge. But even 11 years in the NFL had not prepared him for what happened at four o'clock in the morning on February 16, 2005.

Tedy awoke with an intense headache and was forced to crawl to the bathroom because his left arm and leg were not working very well. Seven hours later - as he lay on an ER gurney, his vision blurred, his arm and leg useless - he was stunned to learn that he had had a stroke. A few days later, he confessed to his family and his team that he believed his football-playing days were over.

In Never Give Up, Tedy Bruschi tells the powerful and inspiring story of the day when everything he believed about himself and his future was turned upside down, and how its long and grueling aftermath challenged his faith, his marriage, and his career. From the heartbreak of being warned by doctors not to pick up his children to the terrifying prospect of heart surgery, Tedy paints a vivid portrait of the obstacles faced by stroke survivors.

Tedy has a vital message for stroke survivors: You can do it. You can take charge of your recovery, reclaim your life, and achieve the goals you set for yourself before disaster struck. It won't be easy; it will be the hardest thing you've ever done, but you'll have plenty of help. You'll have the expert care of highly trained doctors and therapists, the loving support of family and friends, and the inspiring example of Tedy Bruschi's unforgettable memoir, Never Give Up.