Despite the Unexpected, Custom Garage Solutions Moves Forward into 2023
After Custom Garage Solutions Owner John Hatfield suffered a stroke, his wife Sarah and the community came together with newfound support and strength…
By Sarah Hatfield
Monday. August 9. 7:45 am. My life was normal.
Monday. August 9. 7:46 am. My life changed forever.
My husband, John, had just returned from the gym where he was training for a race in Oregon.
Our family of four was about to sit down for a special breakfast to celebrate our son’s tenth birthday when John collapsed. Unresponsive, I called 911.
A terrifying hour later, the ER doctor told me John had suffered a stroke.
How could this be? He is a 45-year-old, completely healthy man.
Gowned, gloved, and masked, I walked into John’s ICU room.
He could not speak, save for one word.
“NO.”
And “no” meant everything from “no” to “yes” to “Could someone please sneak me in a beer?”
He had lost the use of his right arm. In fact, his brain did not even recognize that he had an arm, and it hung lifeless by his side.
But he refused to act like a “stroke victim.”
To prevent a fall, he was forbidden to get out of bed, but ever the rule breaker, he met the physical therapist at the hospital room door. With his good arm, he opened the big glass sliding door for her. A first, she said, in her 30-year career!
He dove into therapy with the drive of an Olympic athlete.
He came home from the rehab hospital two weeks later and committed to reengaging with the good life he still had.
Custom Garage Solutions Owner John Hatfield plays with his two sons on his first day back from the hospital.
Home on Day One
Of course, my life was “fuller” than ever.
Running the house, scheduling kid’s activities.
The dog and my own job.
John’s therapy and doctor appointments.
Sleepless nights and endless to-do lists.
And I knew that I must keep our family business going.
The first step was a gut check. What do I need to keep as the highest priority for Custom Garage Solutions?
That came easily.
John built CGS with the goal of a family-owned business who provides high quality work and amazing customer service.
So first, I focused on taking care of our current customers.
Vinny and I didn’t miss an installation.
I responded to every customer, communicated with vendors, and handled all the tasks of running the growing business.
While it might have looked a little different with me at the helm, we were still Custom Garage Solutions!
It’s Now Four Months Later
What do I know?
What excellent medical care looks like.
How blessed we are by our family and friends and our community’s support.
That even in our darkest days God walked us through this every step of the way.
And I learned about the power of the human spirit.
John is still John!
He is back to work, passionate as ever for the business and his customers.
Running and working out.
Playing catch with his kids one-handed.
And, despite some halting speech, his wicked sense of humor remains intact.
His prognosis for a full recovery is excellent.
The Hatfield family - and Custom Garage Solution - moves forward with determination.
A family-owned small business excels with service, teamwork, and a whole lot of grit. Custom Garage Solutions will continue to stand on the foundation of those three traits…and perhaps that’s not so small after all.
Interested in how you could transform your home through your garage? Click here to get a free garage estimate or reach out to Sarah at sarah@customgaragesolutions.com or 303-522-6739.
John treasures all the well wishes and emails sent his way. You can reach him at john@customgaragesolutions.com or 303-521-2247.
Our Garage Services
We offer custom garage services throughout the Denver area including flooring, door repair and replacement, cabinets and shelving and custom upgrades.