A 28-year-old woman started filming a video diary about thinking she was having a stroke, then the camera caught her having a real one

Instagrammer Taylor Bradford (tayjanae27) recently shared a startling experience with her followers after she accidentally recorded herself having a stroke. The video, which has garnered over three million views, began with the 28-year-old attempting to smile as she worked through some events that scared her. However, she soon looked confused as she struggled to speak.

In her video, Bradford recounted her story as she drove, describing moments from earlier in the day: “In the middle of brushing my teeth, my arm just like dropped…” She then struggled to say “involuntarily,” before pushing past it to explain that she caught her toothbrush with her other hand. She also recounted saying goodbye to her sister, when she couldn’t get out the words “Big Mama.”

Bradford stated, “I couldn’t get it out. I was like, yo. And then my brain is panicking. Like, am I having a stroke?” Through it all, her words were slightly slurred. At the end of her video, she captured herself in the hospital. “We had a stroke,” Bradford told her viewers with a rueful laugh. “So we are having tests done, and they’re trying to figure out what’s going on.”

She thought she had just slept in an awkward position

In a follow-up post, Bradford explained that she did not realize she was having a stroke while she was driving. She noted that she “woke up late for work” and was rushing to clock in on time. She admitted to talking herself out of the severity of the situation, thinking perhaps she had just slept in an awkward position.

Bradford also shared that filming video diaries is her way of keeping a record of her life and emotions and of dealing with anxiety, which is how she captured the moment. Other creators have turned to video during serious health battles too, including one TikToker who recorded a final message for her family after learning she had weeks to live. Bradford hopes to use her platform to build community, noting, “I feel like the research for strokes in that 50-and-under age range is very minimal, and so people don’t know about it.”

Viewers came to the comments section with a mix of relief and concern. Some users shared their own or their families’ stories of having strokes in their twenties, with one user saying it “completely changed my attitude” and encouraged them to live more. Many were concerned that she drove in that condition, with one user writing, “Girl u was fighting that stroke hard n didn’t even know!”

According to UNM Health, strokes in patients under age 50 are on the rise, with the American Heart Association reporting a 40% increase among young adults over the past several decades. UNM Health emphasizes the BE FAST method to spot symptoms: Balance, Eyesight changes, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 911. Recognizing these signs early is critical, as fast action is often the best way to preserve health and function.

Bradford noted in her caption, “Having a stroke at 28 was not on my bingo card,” but she is hoping it will be a “fresh start.”