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May is Guillain-Barré Syndrome Awareness Month, and one New Philadelphia man is sharing his story to help others recognize the warning signs early.

Tom Adamich of New Philadelphia says his experience with the rare neurological disorder began with what seemed like a simple illness—possibly a virus—followed key warning signs that include sudden weakness, loss of coordination, difficulty lifting objects, and a rapid progression of symptoms.

By the next morning, Adamich could hardly walk. He collapsed shortly after and did not walk again for nine months. For him, recovery was long—taking years of rehabilitation to regain basic skills like walking and even opening a bottle. 

His message during Awareness Month is ‘don’t ignore unusual symptoms.’

Though GBS is rare, Adamich hopes sharing his story encourages people to act quickly—because in cases like his, time makes all the difference.

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