When Eleanor Ede died from a stroke at just 65, her son Nick was devastated – and shocked that he knew so little about the condition. Since then, he has devoted his life to raising awareness and breaking the stigma
One day in late August, 1997, Nick Ede received a devastating phone call from his father. His parents were on holiday in Brighton – his mother, Eleanor, had had a stroke. “My dad said: ‘You need to come down now, I don’t think your mum is going to make it’,” remembers Ede.
He left his home in London immediately and went to the hospital. Not long afterwards, Eleanor had another stroke, which killed her. It was hard to believe – he had only seen his mother the week before. She was 65 and healthy, although he had noticed how thoughtful she was that day. “She said these weird affirmations – ‘Always be true to yourself, always know who you are.’ At the time, I was like, ‘Calm down,’” he says with a small laugh. “With reflection, they are very comforting.”
