EP045 | Ali Turpie | How a stroke at 28 can give you a new purpose in life

In this deeply moving episode, Pete sits down with Ali Turpie — also known online as The Apraxia Man — to share his extraordinary story of survival, resilience, and purpose. At just 28 years old, Ali suffered a sudden stroke in the back of a taxi after work. Fit, healthy, and with no obvious cause, the event changed the course of his life forever.

Ali describes the terrifying experience of losing his speech completely — unable to say his girlfriend’s name, unable to text, and barely able to move his mouth. Thanks to his partner Liv’s quick thinking, he was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a left middle cerebral artery infarct, resulting in both aphasia and apraxia. What followed was months of intense speech therapy, slow progress, and the battle to reclaim his voice.

But this isn’t just a story of loss. It’s one of transformation. Ali shares how he channelled his trauma into purpose — becoming a vocal mental health advocate, speaking openly about losing his father to suicide, and helping raise awareness about strokes in young people.

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