From crisis to triumph: Local teen survives life-threatening brain aneurysm at AdventHealth Daytona Beach

May 5, 2023, began as an ordinary day for Brooke and Adam Stubbs, parents of seven children in New Smyrna Beach. They were busy getting their younger children ready for school, while their oldest, 19-year-old Josiah, who lives in a bungalow on the family’s property, should have been preparing to leave for work. But, on this day, Josiah’s truck remained in the driveway.

“I looked out the window and saw Josiah’s girlfriend pounding on his door,” recalled Brooke. “As soon as I saw that, I knew something was wrong and ran over and unlocked the door. We found Josiah on the floor.”

Josiah was disoriented and confused. Brooke called 9-11 and Josiah was taken to the emergency department at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach where tests revealed a spontaneous ruptured brain aneurysm causing bleeding in the brain.

Josiah was then rushed to AdventHealth Daytona Beach for emergency brain surgery.

Dr. Erinc Akture, a renowned neurosurgeon, performed a 14-hour brain surgery to repair the aneurysm with meticulous precision and expertise, navigating the complex network of blood vessels in Josiah's brain.

“His condition was life-threatening, and we had to act very quickly,” recalled Akture. “I told Josiah’s family that this would not be a very simple aneurysm to repair– it would require an extensive surgery. Fortunately, our hospital is very well equipped for this type of complex surgery.”

“I’ve trained all my life for this moment,” he added.

The surgery was successful, but Josiah had numerous complications, including a cardiac arrest in the ICU that caused his liver, kidneys, and lungs to fail.

He remained in a coma, and doctors prepared Josiah’s family for the possibility that he may not survive.

His family turned to their deeply rooted faith and more than 100 people – including Akture – joined them for a prayer vigil in the hospital's parking lot.

“This crisis really turned our family upside down,” Adam Stubbs, Josiah’s father, said. “By God's hand, in the middle of the night, Josiah started to improve. Josiah's journey is truly a testament to the power of faith, love, and the dedication of health care professionals."

After seven weeks in a coma, Josiah woke up, and after 12 weeks in the ICU at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, he was transferred to a neurological rehabilitation center in Jacksonville.

As he left the ICU at AdventHealth, the staff gathered to cheer him on.

“I'll never forget the day Josiah was discharged,” said David Weis, CEO of AdventHealth Daytona Beach. “After many weeks of our team caring for him, Josiah be- came part of our family. Our entire rehab team and the critical care team that cared for him, the hospital administration, we all were there to cheer him on to the next chapter of his recovery.”

After another 12 weeks of rehabilitation, Josiah underwent a second surgery at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, a cranioplasty to replace the portion of his skull that had been removed during the initial procedure and was crucial for protecting Josiah's brain during his recovery.

“I do not remember passing out on the floor; I don't remember anything until I woke up in Jacksonville,” he said, recalling how his mother had to explain the past three months to him. “When I came back to the hospital for the second surgery, the staff was very comforting, and I felt like I knew them.”

In Nov. 2023, after six and a half months of hospital and rehabilitation stays, Josiah was finally able to return home.

Seven months later, he returned to AdventHealth Daytona Beach for a follow-up visit with Dr. Akture. While there, Josiah, Brooke, and Josiah’s girlfriend, DeAnna Phillips, now fiancé, returned to the ICU to visit the team.

“The support we received from the medical staff at AdventHealth Daytona Beach was amazing,” said DeAnna. “The nurses were incredible. Not only did they care for Josiah as a patient, but they cared for the entire family emotionally.”

“I'm so happy and encouraged to see where he is at now in his recovery,” said Jayme Cluka, AdventHealth Daytona Beach ICU nurse manager. “And I think he will keep getting better and better.”

Josiah’s recovery was supported by the Jill Simpkins and Gale Lemerand Neuroscience Center at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, the only facility in the area to receive the Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification by DNV, reflecting the highest level of competence for treating serious stroke events.

"I am so grateful for the care I received at AdventHealth Daytona Beach,” added Josiah. “Dr. Akture is a lifesaver. All the doctors and nurses were amazing, and they never gave up on me.”

"One of the things I am most proud about is the world-class care that is delivered day in and day out and the advanced medical technology we offer at AdventHealth Daytona Beach,” said Weis. “Josiah's illness and recovery is a powerful reminder of the impact that compassionate and comprehensive whole person care can have in saving and restoring a patient’s life.”