Embedded Files
Photogrpahed by Theo Wyss-Flamm (12-4)
On an afternoon in February, tenth and eleventh-grade English teacher Mr. Neale left for work. When he got to the bus stop near his home, he knew something was really wrong. He called his wife and told her “Something’s really wrong. You need to come now.” When she got there, he was on the ground, having a stroke. His wife called 911 and Mr. Neale was rushed to the hospital.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a stroke can take up to a few years to recover from. However, Mr. Neale was back within months after his hospitalization. He didn’t have a miraculous recovery, and most definitely is still feeling the effects of this major life event.
Mr. Neale explained his recovery process by stating the not-so-obvious: recovery is slow. “It’s just harder than I thought it would be.” Mr. Neale’s stroke has caused him to have trouble going about everyday tasks. Physical challenges, like a left arm that is not fully functional, make it hard to do mundane things like pass out papers. Staying up long hours to grade student writing and talking to his students all day has become exhausting. Even entering Masterman though the side door presents problems: it has no windows and people are opening and closing it constantly, so Mr. Neale has trouble knowing when it might swing open.
Mr. Neale has not only been affected physically; he also feels some mental changes. He believes that his stroke has led him to be a less tolerant person: “My patience is greatly diminished, and I don’t think I’m as good of a parent or a teacher.” His son, Luke Neale (9-3), says that “He is keeping his spirits up at school, but at home, life is definitely hard for him.”
No matter what Mr. Neale’s stroke has done to his tolerance, he is still revered at Masterman. Eleventh grade AP Language and Composition student Willem Cousineau (11-3), says, “It’s really fascinating to see the way he breaks down these complicated pieces so that all of his students can understand them.” Helena Saven (10-4) says that, “I really admire Mr. Neale. He is very inspiring.” Mr Neale is so appreciated around the school that Anna O’Neill-Deitel (11-3) said that “His class is one of the reasons I came to the school.” Laura Shin (11-3) says that “Mr. Neale is a brilliant teacher. He clearly knows a lot about his subject, but what I really love about his class is that he really enjoys teaching.” Lucy Duckworth (11-1) thinks that “Mr. Neale is one of, if not, the best teachers that I’ve had at Masterman.”
Mr. Neale is now having to work harder both physically and mentally, yet he was still at school before the first bell of the school year. He is back so soon because “I like teaching...It’s better to be here doing something positive than at home sitting around.” Mr. Neale might not be at full capacity physically and his thoughts may take more time to come to him. However, he is still a great teacher, and his students still enjoy his classes. He is still doing what he loves, and he is still loved in return. “He’s made such an impact on my life,” says Josie Rosman (12-4). “He’s an incredible person, and an incredible teacher. We’re all very lucky to have him here.”
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