Mary Stack is the epitome of a walking and talking miracle. Take it from Muhammad Fawad Ishfaq, M.D., an interventional neurologist at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center. He says that in all the years he has treated stroke patients, Mary has demonstrated one of the most remarkable recoveries he has ever seen.
Mary Stack is the epitome of a walking and talking miracle. Take it from Muhammad Fawad Ishfaq, M.D., an interventional neurologist at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center. He says that in all the years he has treated stroke patients, Mary has demonstrated one of the most remarkable recoveries he has ever seen.
Home Run for Life
Mary will be honored Friday, May 23 during Stroke Awareness Month as the INTEGRIS Health “Home Run for Life” series continues during the 2025 Oklahoma City Comets baseball season at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
“Home Run for Life” recognizes individuals in the Oklahoma City community who have overcome a significant medical event with the help of their families, physicians and health care professionals. To symbolize the end of their battle against adversity, honorees take a home run “lap” around the bases during an in-game ceremony.
The Stroke
Mary’s story began on Oct. 22, 2024. Her husband, Stan Stack, was just arriving at their house when he realized he could not find Mary. He searched and found her outside where she had fallen over into a flower bed. Mary was exhibiting all the telltale symptoms of someone having a stroke, such as her face drooping and being unable to speak.
After Stan called 911, emergency services arrived at their house within 10 minutes, identifying that it would be best to take Mary to INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center given her current condition.
The Treatment
Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors told Stan they could administer a medication to Mary that would bust the clot causing the stroke. The quicker the medication is administered, the more effective it is. While Mary was unresponsive, she was conscious and remembers thinking: “Give me the drug.”
Within 1 hour and 15 minutes of the first symptoms of her stroke, Mary was administered the medication and went into surgery at INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center. She underwent a mechanical thrombectomy to retrieve the clot that was depriving her brain of oxygen. The clot itself was five inches in length.
The Miracle
After Mary was awake from surgery, she was immediately able to talk and walk again. All the doctors and nurses who helped Mary were stunned. Within 24 hours of the procedure, Mary was out of intensive care and released from the hospital just four days later. Even more remarkable, Mary was back in her Pilates class the following Monday, six days after her stroke and the subsequent procedure.
Both Stan and Mary are incredibly grateful for the team of doctors and nurses at INTEGRIS Health. “For the most horrific thing to happen to you, it was the best possible outcome, and everyone on the staff was great,” Stan said.
Mary said between Stan’s quick actions and the team of medical professionals helping her at INTEGRIS Health, she received a miracle. “If it weren’t for all the doctors and nurses and the entire team at INTEGRIS Health, I wouldn’t be me,” Mary said. “They saved me. The entire INTEGRIS Health team did an incredible job.”
Mary has been fortunate enough to return to a normal life of work and spending time with her friends and family. Despite taking blood thinners and beta blockers, Mary did not need any further physical, occupational or speech therapy. “Along with regular follow ups, I have been able to return to life as normal,” Mary said.
Through it all, she knows just how lucky she is. “I am a walking and talking miracle, and I am grateful for it every day.”
Click here or call 405-951-2042 to learn more about the stroke services available at INTEGRIS Health.
