CHESTERLAND, Ohio — The pond was Julianne Smith's sanctuary—a place of quiet reflection, where she would often sit with her family dog, Lincoln, clutching her rosary and praying, or reading a good book. At 39, these moments of peace have become more precious than ever, especially after the extraordinary journey she had just survived.
January 5th began like any other day. Julianne was at home with her two of her three daughters, Landry, 10, and Jamison, 13. But something was wrong. Her speech became slurred, her words were unclear. Her daughters knew immediately that something was different.
When Mike, Julianne's husband, received the call from their youngest daughter, panic set in. "She was holding her head," Mike would later recall, "and then I heard the most horrible scream I've ever heard."
The next moments were a blur of urgent action. Paramedics arrived quickly, and Julianne was rushed to Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, then to main campus. Dr. Nina Moore, a neurosurgeon, knew the situation was critical. Julianne had suffered a grade five aneurysm—the most severe kind. "About a third of people don't even make it to the hospital with a ruptured aneurysm," Dr. Moore explained.
The surgery was complex and risky. Dr. Moore had to remove a portion of Julianne's skull to allow her brain to swell, a procedure that was her only chance of survival. "Without this surgery," the doctor stated simply, "she wouldn't have survived."
For two weeks, Julianne lay on a ventilator in the ICU. Mike watched, surrounded by machines he didn't understand, wondering about her future. "What condition will she be in?" he worried. "Will she be able to walk?"
But Julianne had other plans.
Even in her most challenging moments, Julianne's spirit remained unbroken. During her recovery, she looked at her therapist and declared, "I have a lot to live for. I am determined to get better." Her faith became her anchor. "So many people were praying for me," she would later say, "and I feel like that's what got me through."
Her determination was remarkable. Despite being exhausted, she would quietly tell Mike, "I can do this"— and that's exactly what she did.
The outpouring of support was overwhelming. Flowers arrived, messages of hope came from all directions. For Julianne, it was a humbling experience. "The kindness of people," she reflected, "was so incredible."
Her daughter Audra, 14, watched in awe, proud of her mother's extraordinary recovery. What doctors were calling a miracle, Julianne saw as something more—a testament to faith, love, and resilience.
Today, when Julianne sits by her pond, surrounded by Lincoln and her memories, she sees more than just water and trees. She sees a second chance, a moment of profound gratitude.
Have a story idea for Heartstrings? Email to: Heartstrings@wkyc.com.