In the know.

Bill Quinton was a man whose wife and daughters thought could do just about anything. At age 73 he was still busy working 10 hours per day at the financial planning firm he founded years prior. “Until that day in August, Bill was as big as Texas,” said Kay Quinton, his wife and caregiver. August 7, 2023 was “that day in August” when everything changed. Bill Quinton underwent a procedure meant to prevent future strokes. Instead, he had a stroke on the operating table. “A nightmare is what followed,” Kay explained. “An absolute nightmare.” Bill Quinton was unable to sit on his own. To make matters worse, he developed an infection during rehab. Eventually, the infection was cleared up, but the hospital discharged Bill Quinton. “They said they’d done all they could do for him,” Kay shared. “We were despondent. Bill most of all.” Then, Kay explained, everything began to shift. “It was our 49^th anniversary when he was discharged and we couldn’t have been any lower,” she said. “That’s when we took him to Mirador.” Mirador, a continuing care retirement community in Corpus Christi, offers rehab to patients coming from hospitals needing everything from physical therapy to other forms of care. “Bill had speech, physical and occupational therapy,” Kay said. “Let me tell you, those Mirador people are angels on earth. Truly.” One individual, in particular, Kristina Navarro, became Bill’s “guardian angel,” according to Kay Quinton. “She taught him how to be proud again. She taught him how to be valuable again. She taught him never to give up fighting.” Today, Bill Quinton walks on his own, occasionally using a cane if he walks long distances. He’s still taking speech therapy but has improved dramatically. “He’s regained his sense of who he is and his zest for life,” Kay said with a smile. “Mirador gave us our Bill back.” Quinton agreed to be interviewed for this story because she wants other stroke victims and their families to know that hope is out there. “If things aren’t going well with one hospital or rehab facility, don’t give up,” she cautioned. “There are places out there like Mirador who can make all the difference in your journey. Hope may feel lost, but it isn’t.” Two months ago, Bill and Kay celebrated 50 years together just one year after he left the hospital feeling like his life may be all but over. “it wasn’t over,” Kay said. “In many ways, it was just beginning.”

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‍Written by Jeff Bell

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