Emerging From the Dark: Stroke…The Untold Stories

Stroke continues to disrupt lives and rob families of their loved ones, as more and more people are coming to realize. Two of the beautiful souls featured in this book have since departed, and this new edition is dedicated to their memory. Of late, I’ve had a few health scares myself, and each time I would just wish that I could go as beautifully as they did. Anyway, as long as I’m still alive, I hope to keep spreading the word that we need to be prepared for the worst and then be strong enough to overcome when it happens. That is what this book is about, and its mission will only be accomplished once everyone has read it.

“A refreshingly candid look into the experiences of stroke survivors, Emerging From the Dark is both informative and inspiring. Powerful and unabashed in its comprehensive overview of what people might face, this is a book for anyone who is struggling after a stroke and needs some inspiration, as well as for caregivers and family members who wish to better understand one of the most life-changing health conditions.” Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★

Emerging From the Dark: Stroke…The Untold Stories is an unusual book on several counts. Its format is full of artistic creation vastly different from a typical book. Splashed on practically every page are unique, diverse illustrations from the author, and the typeface of text varies a number of times, sometimes simply etched out in pen by the author.

While some pages have complete narratives, others provide isolated thoughts and “free form” ideas to advance the impact. The subjects are not professional authors, so their comments might appear raw but indeed very real. Even Ang himself sprinkles thoughts and emotions generously throughout the interviews, helping to frame the situations and their accompanying confusion.

It’s hard to imagine what the subjects have gone through. Ang’s work truly brings out their fears and frustrations. But it also conveys a sense of purpose to recalibrate lives, be productive, fit in and find inner peace.

So many people remain in the dark about this all-too-common medical condition. Ang hopes his work can serve as a powerful tool for emotional recovery and inspiration for readers as well as the book’s fellow contributors. “Through this book,” says Ang, “we hope to make a difference — so people can see that no one needs to be alone in their struggles to navigate everyday life after experiencing a stroke. Strokes impact countless lives, taking cherished ones from us. My mission is to stress readiness for life’s challenges and the resilience to surmount them. This book embodies that message, hoping to reach everyone with its key lesson.”

Emerging from the Dark, has garnered a plethora of esteemed awards, including the illustrious Firebird Book Award for 2023, a top honor in the Non-Fiction category at the Hollywood Book Festival, and a coveted prize in the Short Stories category of the Global Book Awards. In addition to these accolades, the work has been named as a finalist for an array of distinguished recognitions, such as the Book of the Year Awards in the True Story category, the Global Book Awards for Non-Fiction, the Paris Book Festival in the Biography/Autobiography section, and the transformational memoirs category at the BookFest Book Awards.