Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Paramedic has Stroke at 37…Know the Signs

June 13, 2023

When Greg Rhinehart, a 37-year-old firefighter/paramedic at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, woke up at 5:30 the morning of January 7, he found he couldn’t speak. Not a word.

Rhinehart, who was sleeping on base because he was on duty, was the victim of a stroke. But even as a paramedic, he said it took a while to put together the symptoms he was experiencing.

Rhinehart said ‘As a paramedic, I understand the importance of acting quickly in cases of strokes. Also, I got a chance to look at this from the other side, as a patient, not a provider.’

The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding signs of a stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Call 9-1-1 right away if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.