In 2015 comedian Keith Robinson was considered a rising star in the comedy world.

He had appeared on shows like Late Night with Conan O’Brien and released a widely acclaimed one-hour stand-up special entitled Kevin Hart Presents: Keith Robinson – Back of the Bus Funny. He also had a burgeoning film career and looked set to reach the next level of fame.

However, in February of 2016 that all changed. Robinson suffered a life-changing stroke and was struck by the same ailment in 2020. The second stroke affected him so badly that he was unable to speak for more than a year, as per People.

Robinson first refused to admit to himself that he had suffered from a stroke, going about his day and taking aspirin to combat what he thought was just the right side of his body “leaning.” It was only after his family and friends expressed concern that he went to the hospital. Even with medical confirmation, the comedian struggled to accept that he was suffering from a stroke, but when he was still feeling his symptoms the next day, he finally began the treatment. He has shared the cause behind the stroke was high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Keith Robinson suffered a second stroke

While the 2016 stroke was considered “mild,” it set the stage for things to come. Robinson was back performing later that year, but he overworked himself over the next few years, and in 2020, while visiting Phoenix, he suffered from another, much more debilitating stroke. It was confirmed that this one had also been caused by high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Robinson went back to New Jersey and was admitted to a hospital there, before being moved on to Philadelphia. The added stress of this all happening during the pandemic only increased his worry. Robinson reported “a feeling of helplessness,” and the isolation that came alongside social distancing affected him just as badly as the aftermath of the stroke. When he was finally released from the hospital, he felt joyous but was also facing various life-altering disabilities.

The stroke made him immobile on his right and impacted his ability to speak.

“My voice was out of commission for about two years. That was the most frustrating part. Walking, I fell a few times. But I grew up rough so the falling, I could just get back up. But the fact that I couldn’t communicate properly was the hard part.”

Thankfully, years of physical therapy and the help of friends and family meant that Robinson would finally be able to continue his career one day. And he is. He is returning with a new Netflix Special, Different Strokes, and hopefully can springboard back to the level of success he was ascending to before his illness.