Man who had stroke at 9 writes memoir one keystroke at a time
By Rachel Whelan
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FLORENCE, Kentucky (WLWT) — When Tom O’Connell was 9 years old, a stroke left him without the use of the right side of his body.
Most people, he says, would see that as one of the worst days of their lives.
O’Connell sees it differently.
“Most people would consider that a bummer, but I didn’t,” he said. “I considered it a goldmine.”
That perspective became the foundation of his memoir, “Cherish the Challenge,” a 305-page book he spent four years writing one keystroke at a time.
The stroke forced him to relearn how to walk, talk and write. While he never regained the use of the right side of his body, he never allowed the stroke to define the rest of his life.
Instead, O’Connell built a career as an accountant, married his wife, raised two children and is now a proud grandfather.
His memoir reflects on those experiences, sharing stories from his childhood, the love and support of his family and the lessons he learned along the way.
Writing the book was no small task.
Because he only has the use of his left hand, O’Connell typed all 305 pages, 25 chapters and nearly 100,000 words using a single finger.
“I had to write it just using one finger of this hand because I didn’t have any use of this hand,” he said.
For O’Connell, however, the accomplishment isn’t simply finishing a book. It’s sharing the outlook that has guided him since childhood.
“I’d like people to get out of it that nothing is impossible and that nothing is that bad,” he said. “People who are kind of sad … will read this book and say, ‘It’s not that bad.'”
O’Connell hopes “Cherish the Challenge” encourages readers to look beyond their hardships and appreciate the opportunities that can come from them.
“Cherish the Challenge” is available at Barnes & Noble in Florence and through online retailers.
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