A Mother Reflects on Having a Stroke While Pregnant

In 1993, Marla Wendel was three months pregnant when she had a debilitating stroke. She delivered a healthy son, Daniel, at 33 weeks.

Twenty-five years later, Daniel sat down for a StoryCorps conversation with Marla to talk about those defining moments in her life, and how they shaped their relationship. 

Daniel and Marla Wendel at Yellowstone National Park, on September 14, 2025. Photo courtesy of Marla Wendel.

Top photo: Daniel and Marla Wendel near Niagara Falls in the summer of 1995. Photo courtesy of Marla Wendel.

This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Originally aired December 5, 2025 on NPR’s Morning Edition.