After having a stroke, one Stratton native was determined to overcome his diagnosis–pushing through the pain and regaining the strength he never knew he had.

“I had no idea I was having a stroke," said Paul Johnson, a stroke survivor.

It was a normal day for Johnson.

“I hauled out 7,000 pounds of steel to the salvage yard in McCook.”

Earlier that morning, Johnson said he felt a sharp pain in his left leg.

“And that happens once in a while so I didn’t think anything of it, but during the day, I noticed it seemed like I’m trying to walk in a circle or turn left all the time.”

Thinking maybe he’d push himself too far, the retiree called it a day but it wasn’t until the next morning, that Johnson knew something wasn’t right.

“Stepped out of the bed and went flat. and boy, I couldn’t get myself up.”

Johnson had a stroke.

Which led him to more than two weeks of physical therapy to regain the strength he’d lost in his left side.

“The first four days were horrible. They had me all connected up to everything," said Johnson.

CHI Health Good Samaritan’s Primary Stroke Care Center in Kearney acted fast, getting the help Paul needed to save his life.

“It’s really important that we have a very efficient stroke program and protocols. we practice stroke drills all of the time, and it starts with the patient identifying that they have a symptom," said Shelly Jorges, the Stroke Program Coordinator at CHI Health Good Samaritan.

The CDC said strokes are still the fifth leading cause of death for Americans.

Johnson was determined to beat the odds.

Now that he’s done with physical therapy, the retiree is not sure what’s next on his to-do list.

“I don’t know how to relax. I go all the time," said Johnson.