When you think of a stroke, you probably picture an adult in their 60s or 70s. But for 11-year-old Cole Ditmore, it happened after an accident on a playground in Ascension Parish.
Thanks to his mom’s quick instincts and the seamless response of multiple hospital teams, Cole not only survived; today, he’s thriving.
The Accident That Changed Everything
The afternoon of May 7 felt ordinary: LEAP testing had wrapped up for the day and the fifth-graders were outside burning off energy.
That’s when everything changed.
“I had a marker in my mouth and then the ball hit it,” Cole remembers. “I swallowed it, and I threw up and passed out.”
At first, the teachers thought it was minor, possibly a concussion. But then Cole collapsed. His mom, Angelina Frazier, rushed him to Our Lady of the Lake St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Spotting the Signs of a Stroke
The St. Elizabeth team quickly realized the marker had created a hole in the back of Cole’s throat, and an ear, nose and throat (ENT) provider was called to assess the situation.
“While the ENT was examining him, Cole started showing stroke symptoms,” Angelina recalls. “He started slurring his words and lost use of the left side of his body.”
Cole remembers that moment, too.
“I couldn’t really move my arm, and I couldn’t talk right,” he says.
Coordinated Care Across Hospitals
Immediately, stroke protocol began. Cole was given a clot-busting medication and transported by ambulance to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center’s Heart & Vascular Institute, the region’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center. Cole had an interventional CT angiogram, which showed the clot had dissolved in response to the thrombolytic.
Cole was then transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, where pediatric specialists, including Dr. Sakshi Bami, pediatric hematology, and Dr. Joy Lorenzo, pediatric neurology, continued his care.
“I watched him recover every day from a devastating stroke when he was inpatient,” Dr. Bami says. “He was scared but at the same time very brave and determined to get better. Even though he did not like taking medicines, he did because he knew it would help him. I am happy to see him do well and grateful to be a part of his care team.”
Each step in the process was carefully choreographed. More than 10 providers were part of coordinating his care in the first several hours after he came to the ER including adult and pediatric emergency, ENT, neurology, hematology, radiology, vascular surgery and critical care.
“They had a plan in place before we even got in the ambulance,” Angelina says. “From St. Elizabeth to the RMC to the Children’s Hospital, everyone knew what the other was doing. It was like everyone’s left hand knew what the right hand was doing.”
Dr. Luke Guillot, emergency medicine physician at Our Lady of the Lake St. Elizabeth, and nurses Tara and Noah Ducote, RN, were all especially helpful keeping Cole comfortable and his parents informed.
The Road to Recovery
Cole spent several days in the PICU.
“The first day was really hard because I had to just lay flat. I couldn’t get up or do anything,” he says. “Each day I could do a little more. I started walking again and moving my arm.”
Seven days after his accident and stroke, Cole walked out of the hospital.
“Cole had such a positive attitude and outlook that I knew he was going to do very well with therapies,” Dr. Lorenzo says. “He also has a great support system, which positively affects his recovery.”
Support Beyond Medicine
Our Children’s Hospital team didn’t just focus on Cole’s physical healing. They also supported the entire family.
“Child Life was amazing,” Angelina says. “They helped his sisters visit, brought in one of his friends and even arranged for therapy dogs to come. It really lifted his spirits.”
At home, Cole continues physical therapy with Melanie Talley, DPT, at our Children’s Hospital and takes blood thinners. While he can’t play contact sports for now, he’s back at school, joking with friends and acting like a typical 11-year-old.
“I can’t play football right now, but I can still do a lot of stuff with my friends,” Cole says.
Lessons for Other Families
Angelina says her biggest takeaway is to trust your instincts.
“I had people tell me he’d be fine, just bring him home, but something felt off,” she says. “Listen to your gut. And, of course, don’t put markers in your mouth!”
Recognizing stroke symptoms quickly, no matter your age, and getting care immediately can make the difference between life-altering consequences and a full recovery.
A Special Recognition
On September 6, Cole will be recognized as one of Our Lady of the Lake’s Geaux Heroes during the LSU Football game against Louisiana Tech.
For Cole, an avid LSU fan, it’s a dream come true.
“I can’t play sports right now, but I get to go on the field at Tiger Stadium,” he says. “That’s pretty cool.”
From Crisis to Hope
Cole’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of parental intuition, rapid medical response and coordinated hospital care. What started as a terrifying playground accident became a journey of hope, resilience and community support.
“We keep talking about how lucky and blessed he was,” Angelina says. “It really could have gone a completely different way, but thanks to the care he received, he’s here and thriving.”
