How He Almost Lost his Lupus Superpowers

When he was just 24-years-old, Vincent Evans-Lucy suffered from a lupus-induced stroke. Since then, every day has been a battle. However, it hasn't stopped Vincent from achieving his dreams. With his wit, Vincent still keeps his team of doctors laughing and smiling, and he continues to serve as an inspiration to others around him.

"My body attacks itself. What's your superpower?" the 25-year-old asked in his interview with the Canadian media outlet, Muskoka Region. 

Vincent's story: Life before the stroke

Vincent is a part of the 60% of people living with lupus who contract lupus nephritis.

Vincent was only 22, in his senior year at Nipissing University, studying marine biology and working in a Newfoundland biology sea field course directing kids on a whale watching expedition when his lupus symptoms flared-up. Vincent’s lupus flare-up caused him to experience extreme fatigue, vomiting, weakness and excruciating joint pain. That day, every symptom of lupus presented themselves with full force.  Fortunately, however, he did go into remission shortly after and finished his college degree in 2016.

When Vincent was diagnosed at 22, he and his family had no idea that his lupus diagnosis was just the beginning of a long fight with health issues.

On October 2, 2017, Vincent started to get up from his bed. But, he immediately felt weak and lost control of his body. He tried to walk, but he could not even make it to his bedroom door. He dropped to the ground, and suddenly began to convulse.

He commented to Muskoka Region,  “I was here. I was home. I was safe. I wasn’t in Newfoundland. I wasn’t away from my home. I felt safe, but I still didn’t understand what was going on.”

Omar, Vincent’s brother, found him lying on the floor and called an ambulance. Vincent was rushed to Huntsville Hospital, was stabilized in the ER, and then airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto where he began his fight for recovery.

Once at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Vincent was sent to the Critical Care unit to receive immediate attention. His care continued around the clock. Doctors debated on whether they should operate on his brain and do a decompressive craniotomy to relieve the pressure on the brain. But, they found that an operation wasn't necessary, and he was moved to the stroke ward.

Read on to learn more about Vincent's inspiring recovery.

Photo source: Vincent Evans-Lucy by Mary Beth Hartill/Metroland