When Stephen Ellis crashed his car after suddenly going blind, police assumed he had just been driving carelessly.
The dad-of-three was driving past a school when he lost vision in his left eye and ploughed into a parked car in March 2022.
The 57-year-old, from Salford, was given a ticket at the scene for driving without due care and attention.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
But officers failed to recognise that Stephen had actually suffered a severe medical episode – one that would leave him unable to speak, walk or read properly.
Stephen, who currently lives in west Yorks, had no idea something was “horrendously wrong” until he went into hospital for checks.
Following several tests and scans, medics told Stephen he had suffered a stroke and had a large blood clot on his brain.
“I couldn’t even tell [doctors] my date of birth or where I lived,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “It was the biggest shock of my life.
“My wife knew there was something horrendously wrong. When they told me I’d had a stroke, I was like, what? I was completely out of it.”
A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, causing brain cells to become damaged or die.
Fortunate to survive the ordeal, Stephen remained in a specialist stroke unit for several weeks and the large blood clot was dissolved from his brain.
Though he describes his recovery as a “miracle”, the dad faced a long recovery and spent the next year learning how to talk, walk and read again.
"I was poorly for a long time,” he added. “I’ve had a miraculous journey.
“Learning how to walk and talk again was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.”
Despite a medical episode causing his crash, Stephen says his case was taken to court where he had to defend himself.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said this was because Stephen did not comply with the driver course that was offered to him. They also claim he refused medical assistance after the crash and did not present them with medical evidence until his court appearance.
However, Stephen alleges he was never offered roadside assistance and gave officers all the medical evidence they needed. Thankfully, his case was dropped before it went to trial.
“I wrote my car off,” he added. “The stress I was under was insane. My wife thought I was going to have another stroke.”
“Despite all my efforts to convince West Yorkshire Police that the incident was the result of a stroke, they refused to let it drop and had me appear in court.
“At the time, I was nearly physically sick. They would not let it drop. Realistically it was a horrendous time.”
But it was a strange dream while in hospital that gave Stephen the motivation he needed to make a full recovery.
The dad dreamt he walked from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall – later deciding to make that dream a reality.
“I told the nurse and she looked at me like I had three heads,” he added.
During his recovery, Stephen began training by walking a few miles a day until he was fit enough to be ready for the challenge.
He started the walk on May 1 from John O’Groats and has so far walked onto the Isles of Lewis, Harris and the Isle of Skye.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
While this may not be the conventional route, Stephen says it’s a personal journey for him and most of the landmarks hold a sentimental memory for him.
Stephen is now in the north west, stopping at Salford Lads Club via Media City, this week.
He is raising funds for Calderdale Royal Hospital, who helped save his life, along with a local Calderdale Stroke group which he attends each month in Halifax.
To donate, follow the link by clicking here.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police took a report of a collision on Towngate Road, Brighouse on 25 March 2022 where a vehicle crashed into two parked cars.
"Officers identified the driver who declined any medical attention at the scene. He was subsequently reported for driving without due care and attention.
"Following consideration of the relevant medical evidence, the offence was later withdrawn before the case was due to proceed to trial on 27 February 2023."
