#51 - A Normal Morning Became a Fight for Life: Surviving a Double Brain Aneurysm

A normal morning. A coffee on the way to work. Then a headache hits like a lightning strike, and everything changes.

Steven Forward survives a double brain aneurysm after being given just a 2% chance of survival. He spends 12 days in intensive care, loses 18 days of memory, and begins a recovery journey that continues long after leaving the hospital.

In this powerful episode of Engaging Conversations, Steven shares what it was really like to survive one of the most devastating medical emergencies imaginable, and why recovery is about so much more than simply staying alive.

Together, we explore what a thunderclap headache feels like, why the warning signs of a brain aneurysm are so often missed, and the physical, emotional and psychological challenges that follow. Steven also explains procedures such as coiling and stenting in simple terms, while sharing the ongoing reality of follow-up scans, fatigue, seizures, memory loss and learning to rebuild life after trauma.

Perhaps the most powerful part of this conversation is what happens after the hospital.

What support exists for survivors? What about their partners, families and carers? Are too many people falling through the cracks once the immediate medical crisis has passed?

Recorded at Survivors R Us in Cardiff, this episode is more than a story of survival. It’s a conversation about awareness, resilience, community, and why sharing one person’s journey can educate others and even save lives.

Whether you’re interested in health, disability inclusion, community support, or simply understanding how quickly life can change, this is a conversation I genuinely believe everyone should hear.

If this episode resonated with you, please follow Engaging Conversations, leave a review, and share it with your family, friends and community. Every share helps us bring important conversations like this to more people and continue shining a light on the issues that matter most.

-

Connect with Steven Forward

Newcastle/Central Coast storm chasers

Australian Aneurysm Support (Aussie Annies) Facebook Group

-

Support Engaging Conversations

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Follow Engaging Conversations
• Share this episode with your family and friends
• Leave a review on your favourite podcast platform
• Help us continue bringing important conversations to the forefront

Every share helps another story reach someone who may need to hear it.

-

Connect with Leon Goltsman

📧 leon.goltsman@ecohq.com.au

Transcript

Welcome And Why This Story Matters

Leon Goltsman 0:00

Hello and welcome back to Engaging Conversations. I'm your host, Leon Goltsman, and I personally welcome you here today as we share real stories from real people, highlighting resilience, community, and the power of human connection. Now, before we begin, I'd like to acknowledge the incredible supporters and community partners who help make these conversations possible. Engaging Conversations is proudly created by our team at Ecolibrium Headquarters. And when creating EcoHQ, it was always built around a simple idea, bringing amazing people together. Through conversations, storytelling, genuine connections, we've had the privilege of meeting incredible people from all walks of life and seeing firsthand the amazing things that can happen when great people come together. I'd also like to acknowledge Morisset Business Connect, the Bondi & Districts, and Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce, along with so many of our parliamentary friends, councils, community leaders, and supporters all across New South Wales and Australia. Thank you for continuing to support our conversations that strengthen communities and create positive change. Now, today's episode was recorded at Survivors Are Us in Cardiff, which feels especially fitting for this conversation. Stephen's story is about survival, recovery, and the reality when life changes in an instant. People need more than just medical treatment. They need support, understanding, connection, and community. This is exactly why places like Survivors are Us matter. Today's conversation is one I particularly believe everyone should hear. But before we continue, just a quick note that today's discussion is based on Stephen's personal experience and journey. It's not intended as medical advice, and if you ever have any concerns about your health, please seek guidance from a qualified medical professional. Now Stephen lived an active life as a photographer, storm chaser, martial artist, and someone who was always contributing to his community. Then one ordinary morning, everything changed. Stephen suffered a double-brain aneurysm and was told that he had only just 2% chance of survival. He had spent 12 days in ICU, lost 18 days of memory, and began a recovery journey that continues to this day. But this episode is much more than just about survival. It's about what happens after the hospital doors close. It's about the impact on families, the importance of support networks and raising awareness about a condition that can affect anyone, often without warning. Now Stephen's message is a powerful reminder that life can change in a moment, and sharing one person's story has the ability to educate, inspire, and potentially save lives. It is genuinely my privilege to welcome Stephen Forward to engaging conversations. So without further ado, let's get into it.

Meeting Stephen And His Life

Steven Forward 2:54

Hi, I'm Stephen Forward, 45-year-old male from Newcastle, Australia.

Leon Goltsman 2:59

And Stephen, a lot of people claim to have extraordinary stories, but you're the real deal. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Steven Forward 3:19

Also just applied for a drone pilots license to help out with Surf Life Saving Australia to do some drone patrolling for sharks.

Leon Goltsman 3:29

Yeah, so you you've you've got a lot of vision and you you've got a whole lot of followers on your social page. Tell us a little bit about that.

Steven Forward 3:37

Well, I started a page back in, I think it was 2014. And just after that, there was an East Coast low-off Newcastle that um was the biggest storm that I've actually ever been in. And I was posting on the hour every hour for almost 48 hours. I didn't quite get there because it was the target thing that I was going for. And basically the news shuts down at about 11 o'clock at night, and the storm was coming off Nelson Bay down towards Newcastle, and I was the only one that was doing on the hour, every hour updates. So my page jumped from 600 people to about 4,000 people overnight.

Leon Goltsman 4:21

And now it's about over 50,000.

Steven Forward 4:23

Yeah, 50,000. I was happy with 30,000 about five years ago, but now it's increased. And yeah, I'm very, very happy with that. It was very, very good achievement.

Leon Goltsman 4:34

Well, you've got a lot of commitment and it shows.

Steven Forward 4:37

Yeah. See, the thing is that a lot of people on there, I say, yeah, I get it wrong, and I'll openly say that, but radar images and sort of information coming in from the computers and all that aren't exactly accurate. So what I do is I invite the community, is what I call it, to post updates, to post photos and all that sort of stuff. So their eyes and ears and people who read it is much better than my forecast will ever be.

Leon Goltsman 5:01

So you like orchestrating all the people coming forward and everyone, it's a community contribution. Absolutely. And this is probably one of the reasons why we're here, because it's clear you've lived an incredibly active life. Uh you you've done Aikido for over a decade. Yeah. Uh, you've done indoor soccer five years. Five years.

Steven Forward 5:20

Yeah. There you go. What do you think of the World Cup? Well, see, the funny thing is that, and and I had laugh with a mate of mine from the indoor soccer. I actually don't follow soccer. And yet I play it. It's like really weird. Like, I know four players, I know Lionel Messi, I know David Beckham, I know Sam Kerr, and I know Ronaldo. I don't know anyone else. So the organizer of the Indo Soccer League, he's a big Chelsea fan. And another is a big um Argentina fan. And I just get there and I say, I can rip on both teams because I don't follow any of them. So it was really, really funny. But um, yeah, I'm not really into any sports. But I, you know, the World Cup, I've watched her kind of thing, and I played in the soccer for five years. That's 10 seasons. And yeah, all of a sudden they've realized that I don't follow soccer. But you you get into it because it's a passion and you like the sport. Well, at the start, it was more because of my kiddo and all that. It was more for a fitness and keep going, you know, that sort of style. And I'm like, oh yeah, this would be all right. I played soccer when I was a kid. I think everyone played soccer at one point in their life, and I'm just like, yeah, this is a fitness thing. And then I'm just like, you know, I could do this for the next however many years while I'm still standing. And then um, there was like, yeah, cool. And then I got into it, and I was the second longest player of the league. There you go, mate.

Leon Goltsman 6:38

There you go. Well, you've put heart and passion into it because you've been chasing storms, you've been enjoying the photography, yeah. Uh applying for drone patrols, yeah. And by any standard, you're someone who takes their health and fitness seriously, but also giving to the community and bringing people together.

Steven Forward 6:55

Yeah. And my storm chasing page, it wasn't a this is a weather page. This is uh a community of, you know, people share photos. I've had um cover photos, competitions, and all that sort of stuff. You're a person who lives life to the fullest.

Leon Goltsman 7:09

Yeah. And then on the morning of the 21st of January this year, which is 2026. Yeah. Not that long ago, six months ago. Yeah. You were doing what most of us would consider a normal day. And then a double-brained aneurysm hit you with a 2% survival chance. That's not something a person experiences or ever even wants to experience. No. Yeah, Steve, can you take us back to that moment of what has happened?

The Morning Everything Changed

Steven Forward 7:35

Well, basically, the night before on the 20th, I stayed up a little bit later because you get into, because I was three days on and five days off, you get into the I'm not gonna have to go to work the next day. So I stayed awake, you know, a little bit later than normal, not too much. And then got up normal, 4.30, um, which is what most day shift workers do. And I was just, yep, normal 4.30, a little later than normal. And then basically I was ready by five o'clock. And, you know, got my coffee on the way to Macca's, um, which is a regular thing. Got over at work at approximately um anywhere between, you know, quarter past five and 5.20. You know, and it was just the normal everyday thing that I do, and then I finished my coffee by about six. Then about 7.30, um, another person because said between 7.30 and 8.30 is usually the busiest time where we get a lot of visitors come in, um, different contractors coming in doing their work for the day and all that sort of things. I was apparently speaking normally. I remember the full conversations that I was having with them, and then my security manager comes in at 8 o'clock because he oversees everything, comes in, checks with us, and makes sure that, you know, any problems last night that, you know, the relief sort of told me, and I said no. And the gentleman's name, the manager's uh Ron Ron Ravsmovsky, and I've been working with him for about approximately two years now, and he's really, really, really good at boss. Eight o'clock, he comes in, and then we sort of chat, hang out, you know, any problems that have occurred, anything that's coming up through the next three days, because I have a three-day roster, and then he usually reminds us straight after. And it's like, you know, we're working three people all at one job, and because it's really busy, um, yeah, it helps. So then this thing happened. Yeah. Just do you want to take us through basically I can work it out somewhere between 850 and 855 is when I had a thunderclap headache. Now, a thunderclap headache is like a everyone's heard a really close lightning strike. So they see the flash and they hear the thunder identical at the same time. Now, what happened with me was thunderclap headache, and then it's like if everyone's been to a concert, they've had big PA speakers and squealing noise. If you put that right next to your ear and turn it up and it doesn't get softer, it just increases, increases, increases. Then what happened was is that if you imagine a vice grip and it goes on your brain and just crushes your brain, and at the time this happened, and so I was like, oh geez, that's that's a bit weird. And usually I just, you know, okay, shake my head and flick it off. But I was getting worse and worse and worse, and then after that, no memory. Wow. And then did you actually feel like it may have been an aneurysm or an or did you know anything about it? I never heard about anything about aneurysm. I know about strokes, heart conditions, and all that sort of stuff. And I thought, yeah, you know, because I was thinking maybe a heart to get me, all that sort of stuff, but I've never even heard the word aneurysm. So you're just sitting there, you've experienced all these things in the world. Well, actually, I wasn't just sitting there, I was doing the standard SOP because I can't give away too much um for what we do. But we actually as well have to check trucks, semi-trailers, B doubles to make sure that there, you know, there's nothing on the back of the tray that can fly off and hit a car or anything like that. So I was walking down the side of a truck, which is approximately 20 meters from where I actually were. Then as I was coming back, it was just instant. It wasn't uh, oh, you know, I feel a little bit dizzy or you know, my vision's gone a bit, oh geez, that's a bit weird. It was instant.

Leon Goltsman 11:25

Wow, wow, wow, wow. Because the statistics tell us that up to 25% of people who rupture a brain aneurysm never make it to the hospital alive. No, never. I mean the the percentage is even lower of survival after that. Yeah. But you know, you're one of the rarest survivors, and your first hand account really does make that statistic human. So people people don't know what

Aneurysm Basics And Survival Odds

Leon Goltsman 11:48

it is.

Steven Forward 11:48

No hear about it. Well, to give a general perspective, if you imagine a hose that's flowing through water, a stroke is if you kink the hose and it doesn't get flow and then goes through. An aneurysm is like it's flowing through, and all of a sudden you get a knife and you tear down the side of it and the water flows at the side. And the average pulse rate pressure is two psi. So if your your blood is flowing into your brain at 2 psi, so what happens then is the first 25% feel that, and then all of a sudden, boom, they're dead on that, they don't make it hospital, they drop down dead. Then what happens is the next 25% after that, when they got they're going to hospital, their brain is still expanding and it's still going and it's still going and can only go so far before it hits the skull. Wow. And then the next 25% don't make it either. Wow.

Leon Goltsman 12:45

And here's another sobering thought that 50% of the people who survive aneurysm die within 30 days anyway.

Steven Forward 12:52

Yeah. Yeah, it's 45 it's 45% that they die after 30 days. Wow. And that's due to seizures, that's due to heart arm strokes, ongoing problems with the sitting of the coils inside your head, uh, whether they've got coils or stents. So the difference between coils and a stent is a coil is it's they're made of platinum, and they basically wrap it around and around and around and around inside your skull, and it forms basically a blood clot that turns into a scar. So if you've got a scar on your hand, it basically turns into that. So a stent is basically like a piece of guttering on a house, it diverts the flow and stops any water going past where that stent is. Some people require stents and coils. I've just been had coiling in because I um blood clotted really, really well. So it goes into that, and then the stent just diverts the flow um a little bit more, just in case there's a little bit of complications with that. But the next 45% that actually the 30 days, they have problems with recurring seizures, they have recurring blood clots and all that sort of stuff that actually can lead to further problems.

Leon Goltsman 14:09

Here's the other thing as well is that the 30% of those people who do survive are left with permanent disabilities. And that includes memory loss, difficult walking, breathing, eating, and communicating.

Steven Forward 14:20

They don't even know their kids. They don't even know how to eat. They're in a wheelchair. There's something wrong with them, and it's actually 3% because 25% drop dead, 25% don't make 48 hours after, then the next 45% die 30 days after their procedure or whatever, and then 3% have all these ongoing complications, and and it's you know, because I said to my partner Carly, I said to her, if there's ongoing problems that may reoccur afterwards, I don't want to burden you with this. You know, if I was in a wheelchair and, you know, I don't want to burden you with this. But we had that discussion, but realistically, the strokes and the seizures are ongoing, ongoing, ongoing, and they're on medication permanently. Plus, memory loss is another big one. And it's really, really hard because I actually had memory loss, which I will get into later on. But on top of that, now we've got 2% left that are like me, healthy. The only problem that I have is a little bit of horse throat.

Leon Goltsman 15:26

So you've survived something that statistically very few people do. Yes. And surviving and recovering are two completely different things, aren't they?

Steven Forward 15:33

To put it in a very scary situation is that imagine you are facing a war and someone goes, right, you're next. There's four people, so you've got one in 25% gone. And then he'll just tap you on the shoulder, you're out. So then after that, you've got one in three. And then after that, you've got one in two. So the the scenario goes up, and then as you go into the recovery phase, I have experienced like I've been going on six months post aneurysm, and I got resurgery done on the 15th of April. So it's not a yep, you're fixed, walk out the door. It's not like pulling a band-aid on a cart. It's this is most people that recover from this is a minimum, minimum two years. How come the public don't talk about this?

Leon Goltsman 16:25

Well, it's I as I said, I didn't even hear. I mean, I mean, people talk about cancer, yeah, and and of course it does affect a lot of people. Yeah. Uh they talk about prostate cancer, they talk about melanoma. I mean, these are all serious conditions. Yeah. But I personally know people who have had aneurysm. In fact, a very good friend of mine, he lost his sister, his younger sister, to aneurysm. Yeah. Sadly, it was within a week of his father passing away from cancer. Yeah. It's a serious thing that people go through, but we don't hear enough of that.

Steven Forward 16:55

Well, see, the thing is, I've got I know thousands of people, and I've never heard the word aneurysm. And it never even crossed my brain. Originally, when they diagnosed me, they thought I was having a stroke. But, you know, the difference that I've just said, the the analogies with the hose is completely different. It's to do with the brain, I understand that, but it's completely different. And I don't know, I wouldn't go with either one of them, to be honest, but I don't even know what's more serious. Well, I'm learning more about it just talking to you.

Leon Goltsman 17:28

Yeah. Because I mean, I've looked it up, and all I all I've got are statistics and a couple of sources. That's it.

Steven Forward 17:34

Yeah. The actual part, the man who actually saved my life, he is the one that started this whole process of my of me being alive today. His name is Craig. He collects the mail at work. Okay. So tell me more about Craig. So, Craig, I see him for about 30 seconds as he collects the mail as I go out. Funnily enough, I think it's his grandkids play cricket, indoor cricket, where I play indoor soccer. So I was getting changed and he came past, he tapped me on the lee, he goes, Oi, how are you doing? And I just went, Oh, Craig, how are you, man? I shook his hand. I said, What are you doing here? He goes, Oh, my grandkids playing indoccer. I'm sorry, indoor cricket. And I'm like, Oh, I play indoor soccer here. He goes, Every Friday night. I said, Every Friday night. And he goes, Oh, I do that as well. So we got a communication going and he was telling me about, you know, his schedule and my schedule and how he had the off season. Um, his off season was in the summertime. And then, you know, we got communicating, we're just chatting, and I had a chat with him every week, and and it was really, really good. It was like people you know, and it's a very small world. It is a small world, and I and I tell you what, paths that cross. I could tell you the same thing. But the thing is, is that as I was checking the truck coming back, that's when I had the headache, and I'm just like, man, this is this is not normal. Because I get headaches and you know that sort of stuff, and you just go, ah, you know, it'll go away, you know, have a coffee or a drink or whatever, and then it'll go away, and then I'm just like, this thing's not going away, and then all of a sudden, I've got no memory. And this happened within I I remember the headache for about five to ten seconds, and then after that, for the next 18 days, I don't remember a thing. So from now on, the information that comes out is from other people like my partner Carly, uh, my mum, my boss, uh Ron Ravnovsky, just sort of medical things that I've seen and other reliable resources like my family and all that sort of stuff. So as I was checking the truck coming back to make sure there's nothing on there, that's when the aneurysm happened. And I seen Craig come down because I was I was working continuously normal for the next seven minutes because my boss Ron came over and and then I'll get to that in a second. So basically I walked in, got in the mail, and then came back out. Now, Craig sort of said to me, he's seen me stumble like I was drunk or I was on drugs. Now, you don't go to work on drugs when you're working with heavy machinery trucks and doing security jobs. And I was like, You just don't go to you just don't do that. Of course. So, and he looked at it and he goes, Ooh, that's a bit weird. And then I sort of handed him the mail like I snapped at him. And I'm and then he looked at me and and you know, apparently I said, How you doing? And just sort of threw it at him. And he's like, No, that's something very, very, very more serious. See, that just goes to show that people should be paying attention of what goes around them. Yeah. And I only found I only found that part out yesterday when I seen Craig. Because I hadn't seen Craig until the January, till yesterday. And I'm just like, I shook his hand, and if I could, if I could give him the world, I would, because he's the one who saved my life. Now, my boss Ron was going over to his car that's literally 30 metres away, and he bailed him up and said, Oi, you need to check on him because there's something seriously wrong with him. Now, I was talking to Ron 10 minutes earlier, and I was talking to him normally. There wasn't a uh, I call it like a stoner's, yeah, man, it's all good kind of thing. I was talking to him normally like I'm talking to you now. And then he came over and he said, Are you okay? And he goes, and I said to him, I've got a ripping headache, I've got ringing in my ears. Now, in the medical world, the first that says, says stroke. Yes, that's our very first thing, or heart attack. Now, at this point, aneurysm's not even in the picture.

Leon Goltsman 21:34

Well, what we've seen is that there is no dedicated national support structure. People don't know about this. No.

After Hospital The Support Vanishes

Leon Goltsman 21:39

And when people get science, what you've had, people are treated in hospital and then effectively left to figure it out for themselves. Yeah. Now, let me ask you something. What are one of the things you feel strongly about is the lack of support systems that exist for aneurysm survivors and the people around them? Yeah. What did the gap look like from the inside and what do you think sneeze?

Steven Forward 22:00

To change? There needs to be change that support for everything that goes on with aneurysms. Now, the only support that I got was in hospital, obviously, but because I recovered so well, the support was very limited. Because all the boxes were ticked green that I was okay when realistically my family, my partner, and all that are still recovering from something, someone so fit, someone that's active and healthy, had this happen to them. Now, the only real support what got was for my occupational therapist Gabby. She was fantastic. And I had ongoing from January 21st right up until April, I seen her once every two to three weeks. And then after my um April surgery, I seen her twice. Now, after that, there is nothing to give support to me. Or my family.

Leon Goltsman 23:02

Or your family. Because I mean, at the end of the day, it's it's them. They're the ones that have to also make sacrifices.

Steven Forward 23:08

See, the thing is, is that yeah, I mean, my partner came in every day, except one. My mum came in every day, my brothers come in every day, and I've got two brothers, and they come in every single day. Because my brothers, you know, my brother, my first brother Russell, he was very angry. It's like, why him? What is going on? We want answers as to why this happened to him. My eldest brother, Michael, he was very, very emotional about it because it's like, you know, he's my baby brother. You know, I'm gonna protect him as much as I can. And I, and he's been in the Army of Reserves. He can't protect me.

Leon Goltsman 23:43

People have the right to know why is this happening? Absolutely. This happened to you, it can happen to anyone. Yeah. I mean, I mean, it it doesn't matter. Obviously, you're very fit, yeah, you're active, you're doing a lot of incredible things with your life, yeah, and you've got it. Yeah. It doesn't discriminate.

Steven Forward 24:01

It doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care, and it really, really doesn't be bothered on what happens to you.

Leon Goltsman 24:07

So so my next well, my next point is one of the most powerful and confronting parts of your story is that you are not the person most of us picture when we think of a brain aneurysm. You were active, you were physically fit, engaged in demanding hobbies, and living a full life. Yeah. Now, you've made the point that aneurysm doesn't discriminate. I mean, I m made that point earlier as well. Yeah. How important is it to you that people hear this message and what do you want them to do when

Screening Research And Public Awareness

Leon Goltsman 24:36

they've heard it?

Steven Forward 24:36

I think it's vital. I think every single person should hear this message. And at the end of the day, the youngest person that has ever had an aneurysm is seven weeks old. The oldest person that I know of is 92. It can happen to anybody, like let's look at this way breast cancer. They're getting screening for breast cancer. I think it's over 55 that they get it free. Well, I think it is.

Leon Goltsman 25:04

Well, in Australia, women are offered routine mammograms for breast cancer screening, and men over 65 can access ortic aneurysm screening. Yeah. We have bowel cancer checks available from the age of 50, but there is no equivalent routine screening program for brain aneurysms. Yeah. Despite the fact that CT and MRI scans can detect them before they rupture. They can. I mean, this is the crazy thing about it. If people can actually have those screening tests, it could be detected.

Steven Forward 25:31

And the question they ask is if if women can get their breast screens, if men can get their um bowel cancer screened, why can't we get MRIs and CTs?

Leon Goltsman 25:39

Well, you've raised the question that I think a lot of people haven't stopped to ask. Now, if we screen for breast cancer and bowel cancer, why aren't we screening for brain aneurysms? What would that kind of prevention look like? And I suppose you know better than most people because you've experienced it firsthand. Yeah. Who needs to hear this argument? Everyone.

Steven Forward 25:59

Every single person that has a listening ear should hear it. Well, let's be a bit more specific. I think a lot of decision makers in the Grim scheme of what happens in the medical world, researchers also need to come forth with what they've known because, as on as I'm aware, there's not much research into aneurysms. There's into brain cancer and all that sort of stuff. But as in specifically targeting aneurysms, and another statistic before I go into the next part, is one in 18 people are affected by aneurysms, and you are one of the 18 statistics yourself. Tell me more. So basically, if everyone that's affected by aneurysms and all that sort of stuff can come forth and go, Oh, more medical research should be targeted for aneurysms because if we do a poll on I've been affected by aneurysm because of my partner or a family member or a friend, if they've come forth and say, I know someone with an aneurysm, the statistic would be absolutely mind-blowing. Well, it'd be more than 18%, that's for sure. I I reckon, I reckon a quarter of Australia has been affected by I'm gonna say it's probably more than that.

Leon Goltsman 27:15

Yeah, okay, and deal with that because there's two types of uh categories. Yeah. The ones that are directly affected and the ones that are indirectly affected.

Steven Forward 27:23

Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 27:23

The the people who are directly affected are obviously the people going through it and their partners and their families. The people who are indirectly affected is everybody because if it if we've got members of our community who are sick, who are not well, who are not coping well, and who are in trouble and not being looked after, then ultimately it affects everyone.

Steven Forward 27:43

Yeah. And I'm pretty sure that, you know, and you know, we'll go briefly down this way. I reckon every single politician and every single counselor and every single big decision maker that happens through the medical world has had someone in their life affected by an aneurysm. So look, Steve.

Leon Goltsman 28:03

A medical crisis of this scale doesn't only happen to the people in the hospital bed, as we mentioned earlier. The people who love them partners, family, friends are also changed by it. Yeah, they carried their own weight, often without any knowledge or support. Yeah.

What Carly And Family Go Through

Leon Goltsman 28:18

Now, you're in a five-year relationship with Carly. Yeah. When you were in ICU for 12 days, when you had no memory for 18 days, which you mentioned earlier, and when you went back for a second surgery, what did you see that experience do to the people around you? And what do families need that they're currently not getting?

Steven Forward 28:36

Well, one of the biggest things with going in for a second surgery is I didn't see the effects that it had on Carly. And this is Carly directly. Now, when I went in for the second surgery, we're going through the normal process, I was alert, I was aware what's happening, and Carly was aware and all that sort of stuff. The biggest fear in her eyes I have seen in the five and a half years that I've been with her is that when she walked away, she turned around and looked at me, and it was utter fear because we were both fully alert, and she's in the impression that this may be the last time I see my partner. And then when she walked away, you know, and I'm the same, I'm like, you know, come on, let's make this happen. I'm ready to go. Let's get this done and over with the surgery so I can come back to it. Now, the happiest I've ever seen her in five and a half years is when she came into the ward, I seen her, and she was almost in tears, and I just went, come to me, come to me, come to me. Now she's like, but you've got to know so that get over here and see me. And so it was like the first kiss we've ever had, that hug was exactly the same level. So the effects that it's happening on my my on Carly and my mum and my brothers and all that sort of stuff, you know. I ask how many people outside ask, except my mom, because she's got friends all over the world. Um, how many people ask if, are you okay? Because I've come to terms with you, and everyone says, Oh, if you wake up in the morning and all that sort of stuff, it's a new day. Man, you may not even have the next minute. So if you're gonna talk with someone, you know, if you love someone, tell them you love them, you know. And, you know, currently we're recording in Survivors Are Us, they're building. And it's like, you know, the support needs to get out there with um no recognition needed for yourself. It's like, you know, whatever, I'll help you. The old Australian way that we help each other, I've reported on floods, I reported on drastic storms where homes have been destroyed. Curry curry back in 2008 got absolutely massacred by severe storms. Yet everyone got in help. Everyone got in help. And, you know, the government said for Lismore in particular, with the floods happening up there, we'll send the army in, we'll send everything in, all the means of resources and all that. Let's get aneurysms on that same level. There's, hey, look, if you need support, come and have a chat with anybody. I don't care. Just have a chat with someone, get it on the same level as what that is. And this is all about community and the people within that community sticking together. Yeah, 100%. And that's the Australian way that we've been known for is that we all stick together. I still have hope that we still are like that. Yeah, I believe that we are because the community that I'm part of on a Facebook group, it's like I'm going in for a coiling on this date, I'm feeling anxious and all that. The support on there is like a hundred comments saying, dude, you've got this. We'll be here for you. Give us a report when you're done and all that. You know, you've got this. And a lot of people were saying that to me. Uh, one of my friends, um Benny, he got there and he just went, Man, you've been busy so much of your life for the last 20 years, your brain's finally told you to have a sleep. And I sort of got there and said, No, no, no, we don't want that. But, you know, he he had support for me. He's just like, you know, he said to Carly, he'll be right, don't worry about it. Yeah, he's a tough kid. And I'm just like, well, I say this jokingly, and it's actually coming more realistically, is that I've said to myself, the only thing that's gonna kill me is a lightning strike. Because I chase storms and I've had some close encounters with lightning strikes. Well, this is coming to reality. If I can survive this, then that's coming reality. So I don't really particularly want to get close to storms anymore because you know I want to stay, I want to spend the next 50 years with Carly. So it, but if we could get the same level of aneurysm awareness as a flood risk or a flood um recovery and build back up Lismore, I would be very, very happy with that. Well, Stephen, you and I have had a few chats before today.

Leon Goltsman 32:50

Yeah. And I'm very grateful for sharing your story, not just here today with the audience, but also with me offline and showing me some of those images.

Steven Forward 32:59

Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 33:00

And they are very daunting. You know, when you're in that hospital bed and you've got your partner looking at you, a picture tells a thousand words. Yeah. It basically says, I'm not going to see you again.

Steven Forward 33:09

Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 33:09

You know, and and begging, please wake up.

Steven Forward 33:12

Yeah. And the thing is, is that, you know, and as I said, you don't know if you've got the next minute. You don't. And because I've always been grateful for wake up in the morning and, you know, I'll get this done tomorrow. Well, you don't know if you can do this tomorrow. So what's your excuse for not doing it now? Well, you know what I mean? It's like if you want to do something in your life, don't think, just do. Yeah. Well, that's my motto. Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 33:36

Do it and then worry about it later if you have to. Most of the time I don't worry. I'm probably glad that I did it. Otherwise, it wouldn't be worry. It would be regret if I didn't do it.

Steven Forward 33:44

That's right. And the thing is, is that, you know, the awareness, if um people come into the awareness of, you know, let's get this happening on the awareness level so that, you know, you can save thousands and thousands of people throughout Australia and even more so, hundreds of thousands, even maybe millions of people throughout the world, let's get this going.

Leon Goltsman 34:06

And that brings you back to uh the government's radar, at least there's a good chance something could be done.

Steven Forward 34:11

Yeah, that's right. And, you know, I mean, even if it's just even if we help one person out this whole thing, I'm happy. And then if we get to a level where, you know, create a fund because I was gonna go into the awareness of because you got the heart foundation, you got cancer counsel, and I was gonna go and they're all great causes, boxes. Absolutely, 100%. Absolutely, 100%. I was going to create an organization like here's five for us. I was gonna create an organization like that, but because it's medical, I can't do it. Now, has there been enough research done on this? Probably not, but I can guarantee you, if you get people like me who can tell the story of everything that happened prior and during and after, then they can take that analysm and go, okay, so Steven's nice and healthy. Leon, you know, he was a smoker or a drinker or whatever. Okay, so that affected Leon like this and affected Stephen like this.

Leon Goltsman 35:14

It's probably more of being a worker holly, but that's another story.

Steven Forward 35:17

Yeah, uh you and me both. But the thing is, is that you know, it can it can create research and conduct research, even if they only start the research now and they take five years to get up to a level where okay, if we can understand that this little thing that they see in the in the in the arteries in the brain, that could be one, we'll just come back in. But for me, I am actually ongoing MRIs and CTs. I I have to do one every six months, then after six months, I do one yearly, and then I do one two years, and that's five years.

Leon Goltsman 35:50

Well, you're talking about the progress that we're making if we were to put studies and analysis on the table. Yeah. At least that way we can start connecting dots moving forward. Because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. We don't have to fix it and cure it overnight. Because it's not gonna fit. Let's be realistic. It's not gonna happen. No. But at least if we're making steady progress forward, even a little bit, yeah. That's still something a little bit further than we would have been the day before.

Steven Forward 36:18

Yeah, I mean, strokes are unpredictable and they, you know, you can't stop that. It's it's gonna happen, whether it's gonna happen. If your time, your time. Aneurism are exactly the same. Um, and then, but there is stroke support. So if someone's had a stroke, they go, hey, look, partner, come on in, we'll give you the support the same as your partner. And if we can get a level of supportness, whether it be mental, whether it be physical, whether it be financial, let's get something happening there.

Leon Goltsman 36:50

Well, we know that anything like this is going to interrupt your life and and the people in your family closest to you.

Work Identity, Money And Restrictions

Steven Forward 36:57

Yeah, it's it's interrupted me big time because I'm not working at the moment. I can no longer do indoor soccer because of my injury. I'm currently not allowed to join martial arts until I'm cleared. And as well as that, um, the financial side of me, um, I'm actually currently working off my tax. Yeah. And you can't drive. No, can't drive. And see, that they're all that's all life-changing. Yeah. That really is. And it's more than life-changing, it's like a kick in the guts. It's like, guess what? You like life, guess what? Stop. And it happens like that. But you're still smiling and laughing. Oh man. Seriously. I mean, after that day that, you know, I seen Kyla come again, I'm just like, you know what? Let's really kick life in. Let's really make it worthwhile.

Leon Goltsman 37:43

But I think one of the reasons you're so full of life as well is because of the people around you. And and one of those is um your your work, your boss. Yeah. And you mentioned that you recently had to have a conversation with your employer about not being able to return to work until January. That's um, what are we, another seven months to go? Seven months. Yeah. So for many people, an identity crisis is wrapped up in a health crisis because work routine, physical activity, and purpose are deeply connected to who they are and how they feel. Yeah. And you've just, you've just so wonderfully and eloquently explained that.

Steven Forward 38:18

Yeah. I mean, let's look at you know anybody. I mean, years and years and years ago, there was, you know, politician who went on to Centraline to see how well that'd work. Well, let's get anybody. I don't I don't care who they are, politician, someone who works, you know, nine to five and go, right, guess what? You that your life has now changed as of right now. You can't go to work, you can't do that activity, you get you don't get support um from anybody, let's land on you and see how you feel. And I can guarantee you they will be like, this is absolute hell.

Leon Goltsman 38:50

I can tell you that most of them, uh most of them will not put up their hands.

Steven Forward 38:53

No. And I've come back and I've just like, I have to do this because if I don't, how many other lives are going to be affected for the next five years or 10 years or 50 years when I can start a ball rolling to get people aware that, you know, this is real. Let's make it something happen, not so much quickly, but let's just get something happening so that people are aware that this is real and we can make sure that everybody that's involved with aneurysms are looked after. So you could have done, you could have given up. Yeah. I mean, a lot of people would have. And who would have blamed you for that? Yeah. I mean, I said that if I wasn't coming back to life exactly or as close to possible as what I am now, then I said, just let me go. Because I that's not up to you. You would have been alive and you would have been living. Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 39:48

But but you know what? The fact is that a lot of people do come back, not exactly the same way. And and and it's these setbacks that make sure.

Steven Forward 39:57

I mean, the PTSD is it's real. Like I've seen it um on Facebook posts of a group that I'm with. I've seen it. There's like, what's the point of living? You know, I can't do this anymore, I can't do this. Like, well, you can't replace it with something else. Like, you you love something, let's let's just do that, and you can't do it anymore.

Leon Goltsman 40:16

But you see a lot of people who have had crisis, medical crises, or it could be other sort of forms of crisis in their life. Um, car accidents, for example. Car accidents, you know, whichever, whatever. And and sometimes, and it's it's a sad reality, but sometimes it's these accidents that have created a new meaning and purpose in people's lives.

Steven Forward 40:37

Yeah, absolutely. And the thing is, is that, you know, it's a lot of drive in, and this is the other thing. If you could get the support to say that, hey, look, you know, you've got this, you know, drive through this. It's like um, I relate this realistically to Navy SEALs training in America. So my survival rate is less than people starting out at BUDS and getting to SEAL Team Six. My survival rate is less than that. So if you get there and you drive people into say that, hey, look, we'll support you. Come on, come with us. Like reaching out a hand and say, look, come with me. You know, that is something that I would love to see for every single aneurysm survival. You and I are on the same page.

Leon Goltsman 41:25

Yeah. So you've certainly been through something that very few people survive. You you've just told me just what the statistics are. Yeah. You've just told me the likelihood.

Steven Forward 41:35

You're not meant to be here. No. I mean, you're a miracle. I mean, I mean, as I said before, Craig Sydney, if he if he didn't pick up the mail, I wouldn't be here.

Leon Goltsman 41:45

You're making the decision to speak publicly right now. Yeah. And um and of course, to share your story, your experience, and your advocacy. This is at a time when your own recovery is still ongoing. If someone is listening to this today and they've never thought seriously about brain aneurysms, and I'm sure a lot of people haven't, and statistically, most of them haven't. No. What do you want them to walk away knowing, feeling, and doing right now?

Steven Forward 42:12

So if you've been through a brain aneurysm, there's a quote that I know from another podcast. If you're gonna quit, quit tomorrow. If you can do that, you will achieve anything in life. If you want to quit, just quit tomorrow. Okay. Today. As in today, if you want to achieve anything, do it now. Don't stop, keep going, and just be happy with everything that you're appreciative of. For the people around the aneurysm, give the person with the aneurysm support. If they need a shoulder cry on, let them cry. If they want to sit down and talk, let them talk. However, it would be a much better viable with research, with awareness. If people come in from and I'll go down this path, if the people from the government and the medical world come into it and go, hey, look, we need to get this as high, or yeah, I will say as high as Cancer Council, as Heart Foundation, as breast cancer. Get them that high of awareness that this can happen to anybody, the same as what all the other medical issues are.

Funding Volunteers And Building Support Networks

Leon Goltsman 43:32

So one of the things as well is a lot of the organizations like Cancer Council and Heart Foundation and Parkinson, New South Wales, they're they're not run by government. No, it's all volunteers. It's volunteers and organisations that have set up because the government isn't providing the support that they would like to see.

Steven Forward 43:52

I mean, the building that we're in Survivors or Us, they have been 100% volunteered forever. Well, they are, as you can see.

Leon Goltsman 44:00

Downstairs because the volunteers that come here. But the volunteers, what we're actually doing by uh opening up to volunteers is they've also got purpose. Yeah. It's good for mental health. And we can go into all different benefits of all that. Yeah. But really, what I'm what I I think our audience and all and there will be some listeners who will say, well, why don't they start up their own organization? And you know what? That might be a really good idea too. Yeah.

Steven Forward 44:26

If we have enough people. If we have enough people. And the thing is, is that if it goes that far as to it's all volunteers, then where are we actually going to get the funds and the drive? So you still need funding. Yeah.

Leon Goltsman 44:39

You know, volunteers, I mean, as much as I love voluntary work and I do, you still need some funding to keep a roof over those volunteers' heads. That's right. And you still need to make sure that there's enough funding to keep the organization that coordinates the volunteers running.

Steven Forward 44:57

Absolutely. And the thing is, is that once you get that funding, it's got to be ongoing so that the more people are aware and they come in, you've got to cater for that amount of mass screw because this is going to create a lot of awareness really quickly. And a lot of people are going to come forward and they go, hey, look, my my partner died a year ago, and it's only come realistically that my partner's not here. And, you know, they've got to have support too. As to a person like Carly, who's just recently come out of it, um, support for me, you've got to give the support and it's got to give it equally, but in the same process is that if it's going to be volunteers run, how are we going to get it started?

Leon Goltsman 45:36

Yeah. And see, they're all important questions, which is why I'm particularly excited about this episode. Yeah. Because we're talking about a a subject. I'll I'll be frank with you, I don't know too much about. You know, and I'm learning from you. And from all the other information that I was looking for, yeah. Which isn't too too much of it, but it's enough for me to realize that more needs to be done.

Steven Forward 46:02

Yeah, I mean, there isn't much information I'm giving you, but since the start of this episode, it's like you've changed to, wow, okay, this is just another story, to wow, this thing is as real as it gets. And, you know, just from you know, seeing you on this episode, it's like, okay, I haven't given you much information, but the awareness needs to be there.

Leon Goltsman 46:22

Well, see, I I try and look for things that a lot of people don't see. Yeah. And I notice things that a lot of people might not necessarily have the time to notice. Not that I've got too much time on my hands. Yeah. But that's kind of my job to notice things.

Steven Forward 46:38

And and the and the thing is that with people noticing, you know, that this person, like Craig, for example, oh, he's not walking right. Is he okay? You know, kind of thing. And then, you know, it's like, okay, there's something serious wrong with him. Let's talk to someone else who knows more, as in um, people who are more qualified to deal with this sort of stuff. And they come over and then all of a sudden, they can take over and go, okay, this is a serious, serious issue with him. That's not not to deal with the aneurysm person itself. It's people are around that, you know, they're always staying up late at night till two, three, four o'clock in the morning, worried then the person who's had neuraneurism, are they going to be alive? I don't want to wake up next to someone who's dead from an aneurysm kind of thing. You know, no one wants that. Yeah. But but the reality is it could happen. It could happen. And it does. It does. And as we've said before, it doesn't discriminate.

Leon Goltsman 47:32

No.

Steven Forward 47:33

As well as that, you know, it comes into another thing where if the support's given to everybody and the awareness is created, everybody, then people can rest their head at night knowing that, okay, I am fully aware this could happen. Don't go to sleep on angry words. I say to him, so mate, seven minutes of you not breathing, you do not come back. But the thing is, is that they stop me for two minutes total of everything so they can put the coils in. Now, as well as that, you know, I say to him and said, mate, imagine your fiance and your kids, you giving up. What is that gonna say to them? That, oh, if my dad or my fiance gives up, well, that's that's me as well. A lot of people out there, you know, they're saying that I am just driving this forward and I'm not gonna give up. This is setting a standard for everyone who's gone through aneurysm, anybody who's known someone at aneurysm, that they do not give up and drive forward. Steven, moving forward, uh pardon the pun. Yep.

How To Contact Steven And Share Stories

Steven Forward 48:38

I can't I I've had it all.

Leon Goltsman 48:43

But no, if people wanted to get in contact with you, to learn more about what you're going through, connect with you, share some experiences with you. I I look, I'll put some information in the show notes as well. Yep. But whatever it is, if people wanted to reach out to you, what is the best way for them to do that?

Steven Forward 49:00

Best way to do it is to just um on my storm chasing page, Newcastle slash Cedro Co. Stormchasers. You'll find me there, you'll see any posts on there. Send me a message on Facebook. I don't if I don't get to you straight away, be patient. The other one is um Australian aneurysms or on Facebook or Aussie Annies. There is two and a half thousand people on there and they and it's growing, okay. It's it's it'll grow really quick. And the thing is, is that people share stories on that all the time. And if you want to post me your story, either if it's too big to type out, you know, just send an audio file and I'll listen to it. If you want to send a video, I'll watch it, not a problem. And I am more interested in hearing about other people stories that come in so that when I do start to get into this is getting bigger and bigger and bigger, I can actually bring you on with me and go, look, it's not about me, it's about everybody. So I've brought this person in, yourself included. I can bring so many people in and the awareness can go on. But send me a message, I'll read your story, and I will definitely get back to you.

Leon Goltsman 50:06

Steven, you're fantastic. Thank you so much for your courage, your initiative, but also for bringing that fighting spirit and inspiring all of us. Yeah.

Steven Forward 50:16

Thank you so much. Now, worry, thank you very much for having me.

Final Reflections And Listener Call Out

Leon Goltsman 50:20

Now that was a conversation I genuinely valued, and I really hope that you did too. I really want to thank Steven for having the courage to share something so deeply personal. What really stood out for me today is that survival is only the beginning because when someone goes through life experiencing different things, whether it's a medical emergency, disability, trauma, hardship, or simply finding themselves in a situation they've never expected, the journey doesn't end when the immediate crisis is over. That's often when a different journey begins. The journey of rebuilding, finding support, navigating systems, and sometimes trying to find help when you don't know where to turn. And that's why conversations like this do matter. Because behind every statistic is a person, behind every challenge is a story, and often behind every situation is a community of people willing to step forward and make a difference. Over the past 51 episodes of Engaging Conversations, I've had the privilege of sitting down with incredible people from all walks of life: survivors, community leaders, business owners, health professionals, advocates, and everyday people doing extraordinary things. And one thing has become very clear: there are important conversations happening in our communities that need to be heard. Whether it's supporting people who are falling through the cracks, creating better pathways for people living with disabilities, building more inclusive workplaces, supporting seniors, creating opportunities and jobs for future generations, improving access to healthcare, and addressing challenges that impact people's everyday lives. These conversations really do matter. Recently we've also seen through issues like the Newcastle and Central Coast train line, where thousands of people shared their experiences because they want it to be heard. And it raises an important question. How do we create better ways for people to speak up, share their experiences, and raise concerns when something isn't working? How do we support the people who have the courage to call attention to problems, whether that's in communities, organizations, or public life? Because real change starts with conversation. Engaging conversations was created with a simple belief. When good people come together, share ideas and listen to each other, incredible things can happen. But we can't do it alone. If today's conversation with Stephen resonated with you, please follow the program, leave a comment, share the episode, and help us reach more people. The more people who join these conversations, the more stories we can share, the more awareness we can create, and the stronger our communities become. We're going to continue shining the light on the people. Stories and issues that matter, including the conversations that sometimes don't get enough attention. Because every person has a story. Every voice matters. And sometimes one conversation can be the beginning of real change. I'm Leon Goltsman. Until next time, stay connected, stay compassionate, and let's keep building stronger communities together.