---
title: "Berkeley Man's Stroke Recovery Marks Program's 100th Case | Sutter Health"
description: "Brian White became the 100th patient to undergo mechanical thrombectomy at Alta Bates Summit, and was walking and talking again days after his stroke."
url: "https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure"
---

1.  [Home](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/) /
2.  [Patient stories](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) /
3.  Lucky Number 100 Man Recovers From Stroke After Advanced Procedure

# Lucky #100: Man Recovers from Stroke After Advanced Procedure

Brian White became the 100th patient to undergo mechanical thrombectomy at Alta Bates Summit, and was walking and talking again days after his stroke.

July 18, 2022 by Clayton Warren

![Lucky #100: Man Recovers from Stroke After Advanced Procedure](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/patient-stories/Brian-White-100-Balloons-rev-2-jpg-cropped-7e4b2dc9.jpg?h=1442&iar=0&w=2253 "Lucky #100: Man Recovers from Stroke After Advanced Procedure")

When Brian White was at work in downtown Berkeley building furniture one morning in June, he never imagined that moments later, his co-workers would be calling 911 after he dropped his drill and couldn’t put the bit back in. Fortunately, a dedicated team of first responders, nurses and physicians were close by to coordinate treatment that would save his life.

Within 30 minutes from the 911 call, White was inside [Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-location/facility/alta-bates-summit-medical-center-summit-campus) Emergency Department in Oakland, part of the Sutter Health integrated network of care, being evaluated by nurses and physicians with special training in stroke management.

> “When I was being evaluated, the hospital stroke coordinator asked me some questions and then after a few minutes, the right side of my body became frozen and I had no control over it,” says White. “I was extremely scared, but the team was so attentive and explained what was happening and I never felt alone.”

![Dr. David Bonovich](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/patient-stories/19_SEBMF_Bonovich_David_NEURO-102_cmyk-200x300-1fd9839e.jpg "Dr. David Bonovich")

After undergoing a CT scan, White received clot-dissolving medication and was quickly transferred to the hospital catheterization lab, where [Dr. David Bonovich](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-doctor/dr-david-c-bonovich), a neurologist specially trained in neuro-intervention, performed a mechanical thrombectomy to remove the blood clot from his brain. This neuro-interventional technique allows physicians to use a minimally invasive stent retriever to reach blood clots—a procedure that significantly reduces stroke related disability and mortality.

“Mr. White was the 100th patient at ABSMC to undergo a mechanical thrombectomy since we launched this program in 2018,” says Dr. Bonovich. “Mechanical thrombectomy helps fight strokes quickly and successfully. When used in conjunction with tPA and medical treatments, this method significantly reduces stroke-related disability and mortality.”

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and more than 87 percent of cases are ischemic strokes caused by a clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. These types of strokes are largely treatable if a patient gets to a hospital that can provide the right treatment in time.

![Mr. White with the Thrombectomy Team that helped save his life](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/patient-stories/Thrombectomy-100-Team-Shot-Rev-300x167-38fb65c2.jpg "Brian White with members of the Alta Bates Summit Stroke Center thrombectomy team that helped save his life.")

A few days after his thrombectomy procedure, White was walking, talking and smiling without any lingering effects from his stroke.

“Brian is doing remarkably well thanks to the seamless coordination of care that he received at the Alta Bates Summit Primary Stroke Center,” says Debra Blanchard, a registered nurse and the Stroke Center coordinator. “Our stroke program is nationally recognized for ensuring stroke patients receive life-saving intervention urgently upon arrival. Brian’s story is just one example of our commitment to making sure stroke patients receive the very best care possible.”

Sutter Health has one of the largest hospital networks with [advanced stroke certification distinctions](https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/neuroscience/sutter-health-stroke-network) in Northern California. Our Stroke Centers are certified by [The Joint Commission](https://www.jointcommission.org/facts_about_joint_commission_stroke_certification/ "Please note you are leaving the Sutter Health website.") as being able to provide high standards of care to improve outcomes of people who’ve had a stroke.

## Topics

[Stroke](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/search?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_healthTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Stroke%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=articles)

## Stroke and neurovascular care

Your brain health shapes how you think, move and live each day. If you're facing a stroke or neurovascular condition, our specialists can provide rapid treatment, recovery support and long-term care.

[Learn more about Stroke and neurovascular care](https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/stroke-and-neurovascular-care)

## Related articles

### [SF EMS adds Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal to stroke care network](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/community-impact/sf-ems-adds-sutters-cpmc-mission-bernal-to-stroke-care-network)

### [Site updates: Sutter Advanced Neuroscience Complex at Mission Bernal](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/community-impact/mission-bernal-care-complex-updates)

### [National Honors Recognize Sutter Health’s Excellence in Stroke and Heart Care](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/our-people/national-honors-recognize-sutter-healths-excellence-in-stroke-and-heart-care)

### [The ‘FASTEST’ Response Could Change Stroke Care](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/research-innovation/the-fastest-response-could-change-the-future-of-stroke-care)

[See all from Patient stories](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories)

## Check your Vitals

Get the latest in health innovation, community impact and patient care from Sutter Health — delivered straight to your inbox.

[Subscribe to Vitals](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/subscribe)

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","name":"Berkeley Man's Stroke Recovery Marks Program's 100th Case","description":"Brian White became the 100th patient to undergo mechanical thrombectomy at Alta Bates Summit, and was walking and talking again days after his stroke.","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure#breadcrumblist"}}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure#article","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure","headline":"Berkeley Man's Stroke Recovery Marks Program's 100th Case","description":"Brian White became the 100th patient to undergo mechanical thrombectomy at Alta Bates Summit, and was walking and talking again days after his stroke.","articleSection":"Patient stories","inLanguage":"en-US","datePublished":"2022-07-18T05:27:41-07:00","dateModified":"2026-11-04T13:28:03-08:00","author":[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Clayton Warren"}],"publisher":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org"},"abstract":"Brian White became the 100th patient to undergo mechanical thrombectomy at Alta Bates Summit, and was walking and talking again days after his stroke.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/patient-stories/Brian-White-100-Balloons-rev-2-jpg-cropped-7e4b2dc9.jpg?h=1442&iar=0&w=2253","width":"2253","height":"1442","caption":"Lucky #100: Man Recovers from Stroke After Advanced Procedure"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/Vitals/patient-stories/Brian-White-100-Balloons-rev-2-jpg-cropped-7e4b2dc9.jpg?h=1442&iar=0&w=2253","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/#website","name":"Vitals - Sutter Health","url":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org"},"mainEntityOfPage":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure","about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Stroke and neurovascular care"}],"keywords":["Stroke"],"mentions":[{"@type":"Hospital","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-location/facility/alta-bates-summit-medical-center-summit-campus-1043246587#hospital","name":"Alta Bates Summit Medical Center | Summit Campus","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-location/facility/alta-bates-summit-medical-center-summit-campus-1043246587"}]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/lucky-number-100-man-recovers-from-stroke-after-advanced-procedure#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patient stories","item":"https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Lucky Number 100 Man Recovers From Stroke After Advanced Procedure"}]}
```