WEST HARTFORD, Conn — When most people think of stroke victims, they imagine older adults, not young, active college students. But for 19-year-old Jacqueline Tran, a sophomore at the University of Hartford, life changed in an instant.

Tran, a biochemistry major and computer engineering minor, was in good health until she suffered an ischemic stroke without warning.

“This stroke came out of nowhere for me,” Tran said. “I'm 19 years old, I'm healthy, I work out, I play golf, I am very healthy, and I suddenly had a stroke out of nowhere.”

An ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, usually by a clot. According to the American Stroke Association, it accounts for 87% of all strokes.

Despite the residual effects, Tran chose not to take time off. Instead, she returned t

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