'I had a stroke on Teams call, now I'm competing in stone skimming championships'

A man who survived having a stroke on a Teams call is now competing in the World Stone Skimming Championships.

Andy Reynolds is raising funds and awareness for stroke charity Different Strokes at the event on the Isle of Easdale, in the Inner Hebrides on Saturday.

The event has attracted a record number of international entries after some contestants last year were accused of cheating due to stone tampering.

The rules of the competition state that participants must find their stones “naturally formed” on Easdale.

Andy Reynolds had a stroke and is now competing in stone skimming. Supplied

Every year, hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators arrive to take part in the event, which is usually held during the first weekend of September.

In June 2023, 44-year-old Andy was on a Microsoft Teams call when his right arm went numb. When he started using his left hand to type and use the mouse, his colleague asked him what was wrong.

He said: “I thought it was just because I’d overextended it on an assault course a few weeks before, but the woman I was on the call with immediately recognised that there could be something seriously wrong. Her dad had suffered a stroke 12 months before.

“She didn’t tell me that then but she said we needed to stop what we were doing and I needed to get help- saying, “I think I know what this might be.”

He added: “I thought she was being over cautious – it turns out something was bleeding inside my skull. In fact, I was having a haemorrhagic stroke due to a very rare brain condition called a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF)- a tiny, thin-walled, abnormal blood vessel in the lining of my brain that was bleeding away.

“When the medical team realised that’s what I had, they rushed me into the operating theatre for four hours of neurosurgery – just 24 hours after my colleague told me to get help.“

For three days after his surgery, Andy had no control over his right arm, which twitched uncontrollably due to focal seizures.

He said: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been throwing stuff. Tennis balls, cricket balls, snowballs, sticks, stones, pebbles… You’ve never seen anything like it. I can throw! Far, fast and fairly accurate too. When I throw something, it stays thrown. But after my stroke, my throwing arm stopped, dead.”

In the months that followed, despite setbacks and challenges along the way, Andy built up the distance he was able to walk and began throwing again, leading to a viral video encounter earlier this year with the Liverpool Stone Skimming Society.

In April 2026, nearly three years after his stroke, Andy took part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon, raising over £3,000 for Different Strokes, a charity supporting stroke survivors of working age.

In May, he competed at the Welsh Open Stone Skimming Championship in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys.

Austin Willett, CEO of Different Strokes, said: “Andy’s story is a powerful reminder that stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, and that awareness can truly save lives. The quick thinking of his colleague in recognising the signs and acting fast made all the difference, and it underlines just how important it is that more people understand what to look for.

“We also know that when a stroke happens at a younger age, it brings a unique set of challenges- impacting careers, family life and identity at a time when people are often juggling so much. That’s why the support of others who have been through similar experiences is so vital.

“It was incredibly inspiring to see Andy take on the London Landmarks Half Marathon and we’re all rooting for Andy as he prepares for the World Stone Skimming Championship. It’s so generous of Andy to use this special moment to raise awareness and give back.

“Through our community at Different Strokes, we see every day how peer support helps people rebuild confidence, share progress and feel less alone and Andy is a brilliant example of that in action.”