John (João) Silva’s Long Lonely Journey Back

John (João) Silva’s Long Lonely Journey Back

Stroke is the No. 1 cause of disability among adults in the United States. That devastating reality hit hard last year when former ISSM/ ISSO John Silva while working for Boeing was unexpectedly struck down while on his way home from a trip in September.

Silva was voted one of the most trusted people in America and was a fixture on Boeing VAFB in the mornings from 2009 until 2017. His charm, wit and warmth made him a welcome guest in many a home. The stroke almost took all that away.

"I remember I looked up and saw my grandmother, father, my brother, both my sisters," he told his longtime friends and colleagues. "That's when I knew." My grandmother told me to come back, because I have something important to do.

After my recovery, I went home and I later found my mother, and uncle, at their respective homes with cancer and made sure they were made comfortable during the terminal phases. My mother survived via a mastectomy. My uncle however, was admitted to a Nursing home, with terminal phase, prostate cancer. His eldest son a medical doctor made sure his last days were made as comfortable as possible. But I digress. A Neurosurgeon of the Spring Lake Medical Pavilion in Orlando, Fla. treated Silva. He said John was very close to death. "The diagnosis of basilar artery thrombosis is a very, very poor prognosis," He said.

For four days, Silva hung near death. The blood clot that caused the stroke had blocked oxygen from his brain. If and when he recovered, he would be starting over. "Boy, I was in bed, I couldn't walk. I could barely talk. I talked slower and higher," he told Smith.

First, he was confined to a wheelchair, then he moved to a walker. He struggled to regain the use of his right hand. Most devastating of all though was the impact on his voice and speech. From his days as a standup, Silva had always been glib.

At first, Silva had a difficult time learning how to speak properly. He struggled with "K" sounds and vowels. He measured his progress with simple milestones. "Boy, the first time I showered, the first time I drove, it was great," he said. "I work harder now than I did when I had a job. It's been speech, it's been my balance, it's been to think right, to think OK."

Despite his difficult journey, Silva said he's not depressed because "all I've seen is improvement."

"I walk. I talk. I think. I drive. I wash myself. I shave," he said. "I brush my teeth. I make the bed. I do everything."

He attributes much of his progress to his wife, JoAn, a Nurse who, he says, has been his rock, support and inspiration.

"She married me, she thought I would be a certain way," Silva said. "For better or for worse. I never knew that I would have this, and she's great. She's lived up to her end of the bargain. She has." But JoAn Silva has faith in her husband's recovery. She got a better opportunity and left for Chicago, IL with our daughter, shortly thereafter. Sold the house and traded the car in that was paid for and took $25,000 moved to Florida first and then Chicago IL. She lives in Wheaton Center works for the local Housing Authority as an Accountant and Visiting Nurses as a Registered Nurse. Bothe location report as missing anywhere from $400k to $1MM and they blame the Accountants. Silva was left to live his life. When Silva caught up to her he asked her where she got the money… she said, “I hit the Lottery!.”

"We were watching 'Jeopardy.' I knew Mark was going to be all right because every single question, he got right," she told his friend.

Silva working in Vandenberg ABF, CA lost his position, had to retire. Silva's station, now in Orlando, Fla., has kept his position open and transferred to the east coast, believing that, with enough hard work, he'll be back on the field. His position was outsourced to Davidson Tech Inc. Consultants. Before leaving for his trip last September, at VAFB, CA however he had the foresight, he trained his replacements and ISSM and an ISSO. Wrote a step-by-step manual on how to execute the prime duties and responsibilities of the job. Silva has enjoyed a brilliant career and it remains a proud part of his life, especially when it was proven the system works as designed. What a way to end a career and retire. But, his stroke also shed some light on just how fortunate he still is. "People come in here and say, 'Gee, you've had a great life,'" he said. "I say, 'I have a great life!'" “Continuing Happiness!”

Silva now says he knows what really matters in life. He says, “As I get older I find the thinks I want cannot be bought.”

"All this, is an illusion," he said. "The house, the near fame the fortune, what we do. What is important is family and friends. That's what I know."

Today, he has a new mission: He says he wants to do for strokes what Lance Armstrong did for cancer.

"I want people to know that this doesn't discriminate, but I want people also to know that you can come back," “You can be resurrected.,” he said. "I'm writing a book about my experiences during this stroke and coming back. And I just want people to know that it can happen. It happened to me."