The Journey Continues – RenéMarie Story
RenéMarie is a devoted mom, grandmother, entertainer, stroke survivor, author, and passionate advocate for stroke and aphasia awareness. Her life’s mission is rooted in love, faith, and resilience—using her voice and platform to educate, inspire, and bring hope to individuals and families locally & around the Globe.
At the heart of her work is the RenéMarie Language of Love Foundation Inc., a global initiative dedicated to bringing stroke awareness to the forefront. Through its worldwide broadcast, the foundation unites voices across communities to challenge misconceptions and share a powerful truth: a stroke can happen in a split second, to anyone, without discrimination—and its impact can be life-changing.
RenéMarie’s advocacy is deeply personal. At just 26 years old, she experienced a life-altering stroke that resulted in aphasia, a condition that affects the ability to communicate through speaking, reading, or writing. Through her recovery, she discovered the transformative power of love, faith, and support—elements she now champions as essential components of healing.
She is the author of Stroke of Luck, https://www.amazon.com/Stroke-Luck-Renemarie a powerful and spiritual memoir that shares her journey of survival, her out-of-body experience, and her profound connection with God. The book delivers a message of hope, endurance, and faith, offering inspiration and practical insight for stroke survivors and their families. This message is further amplified through the… …RenéMarie Stroke of Luck Podcast & TV Show is dedicated to sharing inspiring stories and raising awareness about stroke, aphasia, and brain injury. For the past 10 years, it has been a beacon of hope for individuals and families facing these challenges
Featuring voices from survivors, medical professionals, and motivational guests, the show offers a blend of education, encouragement, and uplifting stories of resilience and recovery.
With a mission to inspire and inform, the program continues to build community, spread awareness, and remind others that strength and hope are always possible.
As the President & founder of the RenéMarie Language of Love Foundation Inc., she is committed to uniting communities worldwide to increase awareness, reduce the number of strokes, and ultimately decrease deaths and disabilities associated with stroke and aphasia. Her vision is to bring the world together through compassion, education, and action.
Extra Inning: Awaken Your Practice
This extraordinary journey now inspires her upcoming book, Extra Inning: Awaken Your Practice – All Things Are Possible When You Believe, a deeply uplifting and spiritual continuation of her story. With a vision to reach even more hearts, RenéMarie is developing Extra Inning into an inspiring and heartfelt film—sharing a message of resilience, faith, and the limitless power of belief.
Having suffered a major stroke while lying unconscious on the clay of a softball field, her voice silenced, RenéMarie’s world was forever transformed. In that life-changing moment, she experienced an out-of-body encounter that awakened a deeper sense of purpose, faith, and calling. From that experience came the gift of a “second chance” at life.
A lifelong passion for the game of softball became a powerful metaphor for her journey. RenéMarie was always intensely focused, determined, and unwilling to give up. She often reflects on the meaning of “extra innings” in a game—when everything is on the line, and you dig deeper, push harder, and refuse to walk away. That same mindset carried her through her recovery. She did not give up—she made the decision to fight, to survive, and to win her life back.
RenéMarie’s career also reflects her dynamic presence as an entertainer. A former member of The Recording Academy (The GRAMMYs) and affiliated with ASCAP, she has performed in venues across the country, including America’s Got Talent, Madison Square Garden, Bergen Performing Arts Center, Yogi Berra Museum and The Breakers in Palm Beach.
Her live experiences—including the Unconditional Love Tour, a Rhythm of Hope: Stroke & Aphasia Educational Music Concert Fundraiser—beautifully blend music, storytelling, and advocacy to uplift, educate, and inspire. Each event features powerful performances, engaging guest speakers, and a welcoming community united in support of recovery and awareness. Whether on large stages or in more intimate settings, she creates a genuine connection with her audience through her captivating voice, authenticity, and heartfelt message of love.
Inspired in part by her mentor Jerry Lewis, RenéMarie continues to expand her vision of a global stroke and aphasia telethon—creating a platform that gives a voice to survivors and families while fostering education and prevention. Growing up, she was glued to the MDA Telethon every Labor Day weekend, captivated not only by the entertainment but by Jerry Lewis’s remarkable commitment. She remembers being drawn in by the way he combined humor, music, and storytelling to engage audiences, all while passionately advocating for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the families it serves. As she often reflects, nothing in life happens without reason—her early inspiration from Jerry Lewis has profoundly shaped her own path of blending artistry with advocacy.
One of the core mission statements of the RenéMarie Language of Love Foundation, Inc. is to host an annual telethon—a signature event designed to raise awareness, provide education, and give a voice to stroke and aphasia survivors and their families. This initiative continues RenéMarie’s commitment to using entertainment and advocacy as a powerful platform for change.
Her mission is simple yet profound: to spread love, raise awareness, and remind the world that healing begins with connection.
How You Can Support
The RenéMarie Language of Love Foundation invites individuals, organizations, corporations, and healthcare institutions to partner in its mission ~ Together, we can raise critical funds, expand awareness, and provide essential support to those affected by stroke and aphasia. Every contribution helps change lives.
