[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC STING] - We are now joined by Mike Hornbostel, who is on the board of directors and also a member at the Adler Aphasia Center, one of our longtime partners to create greater public awareness around aphasia.

Mike, great to have you with us again.

- Good to be here.

- Mike, by way of background, let's tell folks, 11 years ago you had a stroke.

- Yeah, yeah.

- At the time, describe your life, what you were doing professionally and your family, talk about that.

- Oh, I have a wife and two kids.

At the time they were in junior college and stuff, and I was working for Pearson as an editor, and I've been doing like IT and stuff like that, I've been all over the the company basically.

And at the time I was working for Pearson for high school doing textbooks and digital stuff for it as well.

Mostly for high school at that point which was cool because we did a lot of the other stuff like the... Like, umm... Sorry.

Tests and stuff over the computer and digital.

Like we did the first eBooks at that time, it was 11 years ago at this point.

Like, it was pretty new at the time.

And I did stuff for, at the time it was American government which I knew nothing about so I had to like learn stuff on the fly, which was cool because, you know.

I like knowing about history and stuff.

- Mike, sorry for interrupting, but I wanna ask you this.

For people who don't know what aphasia is, and this series is called Voices of Aphasia, your communication, your ability to communicate, not a question of how you think.

- No.

- But rather from a communication point of view- - Yeah.

- it has impacted your ability to communicate in a significant way.

Is that a fair description, Mike?

- Oh, yeah, totally.

When I first got the stroke, I couldn't talk at all.

The words would come out, but it would be like gibberish basically where it was almost like random.

And over time, I got a little bit of it back to really like talking with a speech therapist.

I got some of it back, but I didn't really, because it was so, I didn't really talk to people at that point, just 'cause, you know, I was shy, basically.

- How about now, Mike?

- Much better.

I mean, on a really good day, people don't even know that I have aphasia.

I'm nervous right now, that's why, you know, but- - That makes two of us.

- Yeah.

(both laughing) - But Mike, here's the thing, you now lobby and advocate for people dealing with aphasia and for family members with the Adler Aphasia Center, you're out there speaking publicly all the time.

Why have you decided to be the advocate and the lobbyist that you are, Mike?

- I guess I've always wanted to help people.

I mean, that's what the Center is about, is helping people to talk again and to speak.

And I just wanna... You know, I was almost going to be a Sensei teaching karate and stuff.

But then, you know, my wife was pregnant, and so we had to go back to Pearson, but- - Hold on one second, one second, Mike.

Before the stroke, you wanted to be a Sensei?

- I mean, it was a little while ago, but, yeah, yeah.

- Okay.

- About 10 years ago before the stroke, I was gonna be... I was working for Tiger Schulmann ’cause I wanted to be a Sensei, basically.

Like I had my black belt and all that.

- And just, again, teaching people was, it's what I did.

- So let me ask you this, Mike, we've known each other for a while, I've hosted the Adler Aphasia Center Annual Fundraiser, the gala, which has been an honor, and to meet people like you as I said, the series, the graphic will come up Voices of Aphasia, what's the most important message you wanna share with everyone watching right now who didn't know you before the stroke 11 years ago, but you want them to understand about aphasia and about those like yourself dealing with aphasia, growing, fighting, improving, helping, making a difference every day, go ahead, Mike.

- Well, just basically, you know, you can come back from having a stroke and having aphasia and be a member of society again.

You don't have to just like close the door and like look at TV and like never talk to anybody again, you can still be active.

I mean, a lot of people who have aphasia, you can't do the things that you used to do just 'cause, you know, aphasia also impacts, like writing and stuff as well.

So for me, like being an editor wasn't really, it wasn't possible.

But by coming here to the Adler Center, I was able to like pick up other skills, basically- - Acting?

Sorry for interrupting again Mike.

- Yeah.

- Acting?

You act in the plays at the Adler, was that in your plan to be an actor?

- Oh, not at all.

I mean, I had been part of like, since like high school when I was like one of the tech team, like building sets and stuff, but being an actor, that wasn't me, like at all.

And Ginny would bug me all the time, every day being- - Who's that Mike?

Who's that?

- Ginny was a person who used to work here.

- She- - Okay, at the center?

- Yeah, yeah, she retired.

- And she would bug you, bug you to do what Mike?

- Oh, just be like, "Just have a little.

You don't have to act a lot, just a little bit.

You can be in the background."

Just, you know... She just bugged the heck outta me all the time about this stuff.

And finally I was like, "Okay, fine, I'll be in the play, but no singing and no dancing."

(Steve laughing) And so I ended up being one of the gangsters in- - I know.

- Yeah.

- I saw the video, Mike.

- Yeah.

- You're very, very good.

- Yeah.

- Very good.

But no singing and no dancing.

- No, no, not at all, even before the stroke.

- Hey, hey, Mike.

Listen, I just wanna thank you and the folks at the Adler Aphasia Center for connecting us, and more importantly for you to join us to share your thoughts, your experiences, and be a powerful voice of aphasia but you're a lot more than that, but an important voice.

Hey, Mike, thank you, and wish you and your family all the best as you continue to get stronger and more confident in the work you do every day.

Thank you, Mike.

- Okay.

- Thank you.

- Great job.

I'm Steve Adubato.

That's Mike Hornbostel, voice of aphasia.

- See the play.

See the play.

- Okay, hold on.

You're so confident now you're plugging the play.

Tell everyone the name of the play.

- They haven't told me yet what it is for next year.

- Okay.

- I always bug them about it, but yeah.

- Yeah, go on the website, you'll find out more.

That's Mike, he's got more to say.

We'll see you next time.

(Steve laughing) - [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

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