"The Power to Turn the Impossible into Possible: Tomohiro Izumi's Challenge After Recovering from a Stroke at 34"

*Information was confirmed and partially updated on February 20, 2026.

Tomohiro Izumi, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 34 and became hemiplegic, has successfully returned to work and is actively involved in hosting chat sessions for those affected and sharing on social media.

This time, we asked him about his approach to dealing with illness, the path to social reintegration, and his future outlook.

1. Who is Tomohiro Izumi?

1-1. Passion for Architecture and Career as a Professional

[Interviewer (Writer): Akaishi / Interviewee: Tomohiro Izumi]

Akaishi: What was your personality like as a child?

Izumi: I was a quiet child.

I attended a rural school until middle school, but when I went to high school near Nagoya Station, I met urban people and started to develop an interest in fashion and sneakers.

Akaishi: What was your dream at that time?

Izumi: I wanted to become an architect.

I went to the architecture department in college, but as I studied, I realized that design wasn't for me. It felt like I was just mimicking magazines, and I didn't have anything unique of my own.

However, I still loved architecture, so I joined a general contractor and chose a job in building construction.

The company also handled architectural design, and it was the same company that built the interior shops I frequented during my college days. I was attracted to being involved with buildings.

Akaishi: Tell us about your career as a professional.

Izumi: I started working as a site supervisor and built a 15-year career. I was involved in constructing buildings such as pharmacies, home centers, and office buildings.

1-2. The Sudden Cerebral Hemorrhage and Awakening After Two Weeks of Unconsciousness

Akaishi: Can you tell us about the circumstances of your cerebral hemorrhage?

Izumi: Actually, I've collapsed twice.

The first time was when I was 34, playing in a park with my girlfriend at the time, and suddenly I couldn't exert any strength and couldn't stand.

After undergoing tests at the hospital, they found a cerebral infarction and a rare disease called "moyamoya disease".

Moyamoya disease is a condition where the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain become blocked. When blood flow is insufficient, the body creates its own capillaries, which are prone to clogging and rupturing.

There were no aftereffects from the first incident, but since the moyamoya disease was progressing, I underwent bypass surgery. The surgery was successful, and my condition gradually improved over time.

However, three months after the surgery, I suddenly collapsed in the bathroom after going to karaoke with friends and was unconscious for two weeks.

This was the cerebral hemorrhage.

Akaishi: Do you remember when you regained consciousness?

Izumi: I remember going to the bathroom, but my memory after that is vague.

When I regained consciousness, I had mittens on my hands and was tied to the bed. At first, I thought, "I have to escape from here," but in reality, I couldn't move my body at all.

1-3. Struggles During Hospitalization

Izumi: The acute phase of hospitalization was really tough.

I had to wear diapers, had a catheter inserted, and was given laxatives with instructions to "use the bathroom as is." It was really hard since I had never worn diapers at 34.

Also, my life changed from being able to do anything to being unable to do anything.

I was taken to the bath on a stretcher and had my body washed. Such experiences were mentally very challenging.

Akaishi: How long were you hospitalized?

Izumi: Including rehabilitation, I was hospitalized for about five months. I spent the first month in the acute phase and then focused on rehabilitation for the next four months.

2. The Path to Social Reintegration

2-1. Facing the Reality of an Immobile Body

Akaishi: How did you come to terms with the fact that your body wouldn't move?

Izumi: In rehabilitation, I practiced walking, but even when instructed, I couldn't move my body at all, and I thought, "How did I walk before?"

Even in a wheelchair, I had no core strength, and I would sometimes fall to the left side when going to the bathroom.

It was shocking, but from my experience as a site supervisor, I always thought, "If there's something I can't do, think about how to make it work." So I was able to take a positive approach, thinking, "If my body won't move, I'll work hard on rehabilitation."

Having previously cut my right Achilles tendon, I was confident that I could recover if I committed to rehabilitation.

I never felt despair or cried, and I don't remember being constantly troubled by my illness during my hospitalization.

2-2. Experience at a Vocational Rehabilitation Facility

Izumi: After being discharged from the rehabilitation hospital, I tended to stay at home, doing nothing. At that time, the hospital recommended that I attend a vocational rehabilitation facility.

It forced me to leave the house, and meeting people of a similar age who had experienced strokes and sharing our situations was a great support.

Akaishi: What did you do at the vocational rehabilitation facility?

Izumi: I did basic training for social reintegration, such as data entry in Excel and spot-the-difference exercises. Initially, I couldn't do much and lost confidence, but after 10 months of training, I gradually regained myself.

Additionally, while attending the vocational rehabilitation facility, I started enjoying going out for drinks with friends on Fridays, which helped me feel connected to society.

3. Returning to Work and New Challenges

3-1. Honestly Communicating "What I Can't Do"

Izumi: To prepare for returning to work, I first communicated all my symptoms to the company.

I explained issues like attention deficits, frequent oversights, and inability to multitask, and the company suggested tasks they thought I could handle, which I trained for.

With the help of an instructor, I created a procedure manual and was given the opportunity to try out the tasks at the company. It went well, so after a month of unpaid "trial work," I was officially reinstated.

Akaishi: How was it after returning to work?

Izumi: After returning, I continued working within my capabilities. Currently, I can't work as a site supervisor, so I handle tasks like document checks and training younger staff using a computer.

3-2. "Chat Sessions" Bringing Together Friends from Across the Country

Akaishi: What prompted you to start sharing on social media?

Izumi: While hospitalized, I gathered information on my smartphone, but there was little information from the perspective of those affected, such as how to use an escalator or how to bathe. There was especially no information on how to reintegrate into society or work.

Since it didn't exist, I decided to share the information I wished I had, based on my own experiences.

Initially, I was only on YouTube, and not many people watched, but one day, a woman I met on a dating app told me, "You're saying really great things, so you should share them with more people."

I replied, "But I can't edit, and I don't know what to convey," to which she suggested, "Let's have a conversation, and I'll turn the good parts into a script." She started helping with editing short videos, and my social media presence significantly changed.

As a result, my Instagram followers grew to over 20,000. Her presence has been a tremendous help.

Akaishi: What activities are you currently involved in?

Izumi: Besides my main job, I work at a coffee shop called Dream on weekends and host "chat sessions" once or twice a month.

Through social media, participants come from all over the country, including Tokyo, Okayama, and Hiroshima.

The purpose of these chat sessions is to encourage people with illnesses or disabilities to leave their homes. By connecting participants and creating a community, I aim to promote social participation.

4. Speak Your Desires into Existence

Akaishi: Can you tell us about your future goals?

Izumi: I want to host chat sessions nationwide and connect more people in similar situations.

By visiting different places, I hope to create opportunities for participants to connect and foster a community.

Starting in May, I plan to officially launch this initiative, considering the use of grants.

Akaishi: Finally, do you have a message for those hesitant to take the first step?

Izumi: First, I want you to speak your desires out loud.

Don't give up just in your mind. People might say it's impossible, but value your own thoughts over the words of those who have never tried or assume it's impossible.

For example, when I said I wanted to wear sneakers, I was told, "It's impossible because your paralysis is severe." But I didn't give up, and after continuing rehabilitation, I can now wear sneakers.

By voicing your desires and communicating them to those around you, you get closer to making them a reality.

As someone who became disabled later in life, I sometimes compare myself to my past self, but comparing to the past only brings pain. If you must compare, look at yourself right after your incident and compare it to now. You'll surely feel your growth.

5. Conclusion

From Izumi's interview, we felt a strong sense of positivity and resilience in the face of adversity.

Viewing illness or disability as a "constant" that cannot be changed, and instead focusing on expanding the "variable" of one's potential, is a significant insight.

Additionally, his efforts to connect people in similar situations through his experiences contribute to raising awareness of accessibility in society as a whole.

Izumi's words, such as "Speak your desires" and "Compare not to the past, but to right after the incident," offer encouragement to everyone at a crossroads in life, regardless of disability.

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Editor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasuyo_tomita/
Tomohiro Izumi's Book: I Became Hemiplegic from a Cerebral Hemorrhage at 34 (UTSUWA Publishing)