IF YOU HAVE A GOOD QUESTION
FOR HEATHER, PLEASE E-MAIL HER
AT WCCO.COM/LINKS.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME JOE
SENSER YOU THINK OF A MAN WHO
STOOD BY HIS WIFE DURING HER
TRIAL.
NUMBER 81, JOE SENSER.
HE CAME HERE JUST TRYING TO
MAKE THE VICKINGS TEAM.
I REMEMBER THE BIG BUSHY
HEAD, CURLY HAIR AFRO THAT CAME
BACK FROM WEST CHESTER STATE.
I WAS HOLDING A DUMMY FOR
PRACTICE AND HE COMES OUT IN
FULL SPEED.
I SAID MAN YOU HIT ME LIKE THAT
AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
TANGLE.
HE SAIDMAN I'M JUST TRYING TO
MAKE -- HE SAID, MAN I'M JUST
TRYING TO MAKE THE TEAM.
Reporter: HE BLOSSOMED
BEFORE AN INJURY ENDED
PREMATURELY.
HE CAME TO TOWN AND BECOME
BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS
RESTAURANTS.
THEN CAME JULY 3rd THIS LAST
SUMMER.
HE WAS HUFFING AND PUFFING
OUT OF THE BATHROOM.
IT'S HARD TO GO BACK.
YOU KNOW.
HE HAD FALLEN IN THE
BATHROOM.
THE PROGNOSIS WAS NOT GOOD.
TWO BLOOD CLOTS, A MASSIVE
STROKE.
THE REPORT WAS, MIGHT NOT
MAKE IT.
I KNOW HE WAS PUT IN UNDER SO
THAT HIS BODY COULD RECOVER.
THEY SAID HE HAS HAD A
SIGNIFICANT STROKE, A MASSIVE
STROKE AND YOU SHOULD CALL THE
FAMILY.
HE SURVIVED AND TOOK THE
RISK OF SURGERY BUT HIS LIFE
HAS CHANGED FOREVER.
IT.
HE COULD RESPOND BUT NOT MUCH.
HE WAS IN A BAD PLACE.
ROCKING THE WORLD OF HIS
WIFE AND DAUGHTERS.
WHAT HAS HE MEANT TO YOU.
EVERYTHING.
HE'S BEEN THERE FOR YOU.
YEAH.
Reporter: HE'S BACK HOME
AGAIN BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT
JOE.
HE'S HAD A MASSIVE STROKE.
THAT RIGHT NOW HE CAN'T TALK,
AND HE'S TEACHING HIMSELF TO
WALK AGAIN.
SO, NO ONE KNOWS REALLY HOW BAD
THE DAMAGE IS.
IF IT'LL RECUR.
IF HE CAN EVER WORK.
LET'S TRY ONE FULL SENTENCE.
I WANT WATER PLEASE.
THERE YOU GO.
THIS IS HIS HOME AWAY FROM
HOME.
SAINT TERESA'S.
LEARNING TO TALK AGAIN.
GOOD MORNING.
TRY TO GET THAT REALLY
STRONG D.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD.
THE EYES TELL THE STORY OF
AN NFL PLAYER DETERMINED TO
MASTER WHAT WAS ONCE SIMPLE.
I HAD A STROKE.
NOTHING EASY FOR ANYONE.
EVEN THROUGH EVERYTHING,
LIFE JUST KEEPS MOVING ON.
SO, JUST ONE DAY AT A TIME.
INSIDE.
ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY.
SO SHIFT.
SHIFT.
STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER ON THE
RIGHT.
Reporter: HE'S LEARNING TO
WALK.
ONE STEP AT A TIME.
NOW GO BACKWARD.
CARRYING AN ATTITUDE HE
HOPES WILL OVERCOME.
STAY ON THAT LEG AND USE IT.
MAKE THAT RIGHT LEG DRIVE TO
THE LEFT.
THERE YOU GO.
YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE FORWARD.
WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGING
GREAT FUN.
HE JUST KEEPS GOING.
THAT'S THE ATHLETE IN YOU.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING HE KNOWS
HOW TO DO IS TO CONTINUE TO
FIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT
WITH HIM.
Reporter: IT IS THOSE
FRIENDSHIPS THAT ARE HELPING
CARRY JOE SENSER NOW.
SPENDING TIME WITH HIS AT HIS
HOME UNDERSTANDING THE
SITUATION.
THIS IS DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
HERE'S THIS BIG STRONG MAN.
WHO'S YOU KNOW, FOR US YOU KNOW
IN MY LIFE HAS BEEN SUCH A
LEADER FOR ME.
AND SO THEY GO FORWARD IN A
NEW NORMAL.
ONE FILLED WITH UNCERTAINTY,
JUMP STARTED BY SMALL PROGRESS
WITH FAITH AND ATTITUDE,
LOOKING FORWARD AND NEVER
ASKING WHY.
YOU CAN'T ASK WHY.
HOW DO WE KNOW?
WE DON'T KNOW.
WE DON'T GET TO REVEAL THINGS
THAT ARE BEYOND -- WE COULD ASK
WHY ABOUT EVERYTHING.
THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.
IT'S HOW, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH
WHAT -- HOW DO WE RISE ABOVE
WHAT'S BEEN GIVEN US.
NEWS.
YOU CAN FOLLOW JOE SENSER'S
RECOVERY AND SHARE WORDS OF
ENCOURAGING ON HIS CARING
BRIDGE SITE.
YOU WILL FIND IT ON
WCCO.COM/LINKS.
THE LAST TIME WE SAW AMY
SENSER SHE WAS LEAVING A
COURTROOM.
SENSER EXPLAINS HOW SHE'S DEALT
WITH THE TWO MAJOR TRIALS IN
HER LIFE AND GETTING THROUGH
SOME OF THE WORSE OF TIMES.
TO BE ABLE TO FORGIVE AND TO
GIFT.
NOT ONLY FROM FAMILY AND
FRIENDS BUT THE FAMILY AND IT'S
-- I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD SIT
HERE.
I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE IF I
HAáPBT -- HASN'T BEEN GIVEN
THAT GIFT.