A stroke survivor reflects on the lifesaving care he received at Hoag

Michael Coons, an auto repair business owner and triathlete, was working in Costa Mesa on St. Patrick’s Day when he collapsed. 

“I did not know what was happening to me, but I somehow managed to prop myself up against a garbage can, take out my phone and call my wife,” he recalled. “She picked me up and took me straight to Hoag.” 

For Michael, who is 61, two blockages—one in his neck and another in his brain—had resulted in a stroke. 

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke, a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted—typically because of a blocked artery or a ruptured blood vessel. Time becomes critical—not just for survival, but for the prevention of long-term brain damage.

A certified comprehensive stroke center that ranks among the top 10 percent in the nation, Hoag is one of the largest stroke centers in California, treating one thousand cases each year.

Hoag Neurointerventional Radiologist Avinash Mesipam, MD, quickly went to work, successfully removing both clots. 

“When I first woke up, I couldn’t speak very well, and I remember thinking, ‘oh boy, this is going to be really bad.’ But within a few hours, my speech was improving. Four days later, I was back to normal and able to return home.” 

Follow-up scans showed residual narrowing of Michael’s blood vessels, suggesting that he was still at risk for another stroke, so Dr. Mesipam proposed implanting a recently approved 3-in-1 carotid stent. 

“Carotid stents have been pretty standard for the last 20 years,” Dr. Mesipam said, “but this new stent system has been shown to substantially lower the risk of strokes and intraprocedural strokes more so than older models.” 

Michael became the first patient in California to receive the new device. 

“The procedure was relatively quick, and aside from a small bruise, I didn’t have any pain afterwards.” 

An Ironman competitor who is also being treated at Hoag for head and neck cancer, Michael recently completed the last of his radiation and chemotherapy treatments under the care of Hoag Oncologists Dr. Alain C. Mita and Dr. Brian S. Kim. 

“The care is just top notch,” he said. “Not only did everyone respond quickly and efficiently, but every single staff member I’ve met has shown so much compassion. It was unbelievable. You’re not just a number, and that is what sets Hoag apart.”