Mike Cramer grew up in Wadsworth, was just starting his own business and had recently married the love of his life, Mandii, whom he met online, when his life took a drastic turn.
At just 39 years old, Mike suffered a stroke during a medical procedure on Nov. 23, 2011. He ended up at the Cleveland Clinic on life support where neurologists painted a very grim picture.
“They told us that Mike has 50-percent brain damage and due to where the damage is, it is unlikely that he will survive,” his wife, Mandii explained.
On the “off chance” that he did survive, doctors told Mandii and her family that he would be a quadriplegic, blind, unable to talk or understand language, plus be feeding tube and ventilator dependent for the rest of his life.
The family packed the waiting room where they wrestled with the decision that was in front of them. On Dec. 5, 2011, they decided to take Mike off of life support.
Three hours later, Mike squeezed his dad’s hand. Then, they commanded him to wriggle his toes. Mike did that too.
“That’s when we just gave it all to God,” Mandii said. “Mike spent the next 10 ½ months proving each and every doctor’s diagnosis wrong, as he continued to progress.”
As of today, Mike has full use of all of his limbs, has vision impairment but is not blind, is able to understand language and is working hard to relearn how to talk.
His miraculous recovery so far led him to want to embark on another challenge: participate in the MatchStick 5K race and family fun run. So, Mandii reached out to the race committee who graciously decided to pay for their registration fees so they can do it together.
“I’ll have my own bib and can walk alongside Mike,” Mandii said. “We may finish at midnight, but we will finish. What a generous committee to do this for us.”
Mandii and Mike will be honored before the race kicks off from Art Wright Stadium on Friday night.
“It’s been a tragic blessing,” Mandii described. “We are blessed beyond measure…the outpouring of support has been fantastic…the prayer chains, oh, you can just feel that support!”
Mike wrote on a small notepad while in the studio: “I almost died two other times in my life. I am named after Michael the Archangel and that’s who I feel watches over me.”
With tears streaming down her face, Mandii described how life is drastically different than it was before Mike’s stroke.
“It’s different when you haven’t been able to have a conversation with you best friend in almost three years. That’s hard for me. To be fixing dinner and think, I need some milk, if I could just send him out to get it.”
But she can only imagine how hard it is for her husband.
“It’s like being trapped inside your own body. It’s got to be so difficult for him to have all these thoughts and not be able to express them how he wants to express them. That breaks my heart for him.”
It’s the little things in life we take for granted, friends.
“It hasn’t been an easy adjustment, but we are so blessed. We have a roof over our head, food on the table, a vehicle that gets us from point A to point B – and that’s so much more than a lot of people have. The communication part has brought us closer together. You have to slow down and be more patient with each other. And that happens in every day marriage and life, but ours is on a different level. It’s changed my perspective on a lot of things.” Mandii said.
But she takes her vows seriously: For better or worse, til death do us part. Mandii stands proudly beside her husband, marveling at his progress each and every day. She is dedicated, patient, kind – a woman with character, filled with hope and a faith that is unwavering.
“Mike is my best friend, my rock. He inspires me every day.”
