'I couldn't talk': Former Flyer Brian Propp warning others after stroke in 2015
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Actor Luke Perry died on Monday, days after suffering massive stroke at his Los Angeles home.
The 90s icon rose to fame as "Dylan" on "Beverly Hills 90210." He was just 52 years old.
His death has many talking about this seriousness of strokes, suffered by nearly 800,000 people every year.
Like Perry, former Philadelphia Flyer, Brian Propp was in his 50s when he had a stroke in 2015. He had to relearn how speak, move, and knows all too well just how sudden something like this can happen to someone so young.
"I fell out of bed, lost a couple of teeth. I couldn't talk, move," said Propp.
It started as a headache. But Propp says what he experienced in September 2015 a stroke. It was caused by a blood clot.
"I was in good shape, but you never know what's going to happen, you never know," said Propp.
"He was young. We played in some Flyers alumni games with him. I got to know him a little better. It's very sad," said Propp on the passing of Perry.
It's not clear if Perry's stroke was caused by a clot or hemorrhage.
Dr. Ausim Azizi, with Temple University Hospital, says while it's more common in the elderly, strokes can happen to anyone and most warning signs are easy to spot.
"Face drooping, arms not working, difficulty walking, confusion and speech problems," added Azizi.
Doctors say within the first 90 seconds of a stroke, brain cells start dying and a patient has up until 3 hours to restore blood flow and reverse the damage.
"Time is important in terms of calling and being rapid about it," Azizi says.
"I was fortunate. I was with my family at the time. If it happened to me, and I was by myself, I'm gone," said Propp.
Propp says he got to the hospital within 30 minutes. It took him a year and half to regain his speech.
"It's pretty scary. Some people look good and the next thing you know they're gone," Propp said.
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