Actor, stroke survivor to present Umble Master Class

Actor, stroke survivor to present Umble Master Class

Carl McIntyre, an actor whose struggle to recover from a stroke that left him unable to read, write and talk, will present the Umble Master Class on Sept. 11-12.

McIntyre suf­fered a severe stroke in 2005. Imme­diately afterward, he was virtally unable to speak, a condition known as aphasia. He also suffered from coor­dination difficulties.

Like many stroke survivors, Mc­Intyre was told that his recovery would plateau between six and 18 months, after which he should expect little progress.

This turned out not to be the case. Seven years after his stroke, McIntyre continues to improve. Exhaustive speech and occupational therapy have helped him to regain his ability to speak, though he still has diffi­culty with sentences longer than a few words. His vocabulary has improved dramatically, and his coordination is almost to the level it was before the stroke. His cognitive abilities are largely intact.

In 2010 more than 200 professional filmmakers and actors joined forces to tell his story in the film “Aphasia.” The film has received acclaim on the international film festival circuit.

The 40-minute film “Aphasia” will be shown as part of the keynote presentation, “Hope is a Four Letter Word,” on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m. After the movie, McIntyre will deliver a short presentation and then participate in a Q & A session.

During his stay in Goshen, he will also hold two daytime sessions.