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- The Bay
- The Bay - $1 Million Emergency Department Expansion Opens
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People On The Move: Keith Stephens Buff
03/05/2009 - By Teja Anderson
FIGHTING THE FIGHT OF HIS LIFE
Life was good for Keith Stephens Buff, as he made his way back from the 18th hole at the Rumson Country Club in the summer of 1999. He had just played one of his better rounds of golf in the club’s championships; he was 36, had a beautiful wife and three adoring children, a thriving auto business, and a lucrative real estate venture on the side. But as he and his golf buddies made it back to the locker room to escape the sweltering July sun Keith suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his head that felled him to the ground as he lost consciousness. It was only much later, after extensive testing at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, that neurosurgeon Dr. Bruce Rosenblum made the final determination – Keith had cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which had ruptured and caused bleeding in his brain.
The facts on AVMs are not cheery. They occur in only a quarter of a million people in the United States, and although many of these people may never experience any adverse symptoms beyond the occasional headache, if the AVM ruptures most victims die. Keith’s rupture was severe; it left him a virtual paraplegic…unable to walk, talk, or even swallow. Yet, once conscious, Keith remained optimistic. He knew in his heart that he would survive and he would recover.
Now almost 10 years later he is eager to tell his story, hoping that in the telling he can give hope and inspiration to others who are facing overwhelming odds, whether because of medical issues or for any other reason. Keith’s book, “Determination: A Journey From The Abyss of Despair” (published just last year) is a poignant narration of his journey as he recalls the events of his childhood (his best and strongest memories of what shaped him) and deals with the complications of his new life as he fights against all odds to survive. Most importantly, he is donating the proceeds from his book to various different charities.*
Growing up in Rumson, the youngest of three boys with one younger sister, Keith was an adventurer and athlete from the beginning. His love of the water was clear to him early on, and he excelled at most sports – swimming, waterskiing, wake boarding, skim boarding, jet skiing, snow skiing, biking, football, skateboarding; he did it all. But Keith’s true passion was surfing, taking full advantage of his proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Nothing thrilled him more than taking to the ocean on his board, often leaving school at lunchtime with a buddy to catch the waves. Hurricane inspired waves and hanging ten were his favorites…the ocean brought him happiness. Sports also brought him lifelong friends.
There have been battle scars along the way to match his surgical ones. Although the stress of his illness eventually took its toll on his marriage, his mother never wavered in her hopes for his recovery. She knew from the moment he was born that she was in it for the long haul. Although his real estate venture partners forced him to resign and the group closed down, he still had disability insurance and was able to stave off bankruptcy. Keith also had a strong support group of friends, many from childhood (Keith attended Deane-Porter Elementary School, Forrestdale Middle School, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, and Northwood Institute of Midland in Michigan). He also made friends on his way to recovery – doctors, nurses, therapists, and other ambulatory patients at the countless hospitals and rehab centers that he traveled to around the country in his quest to become whole again.
Of course, it isn’t just luck and the love shown him by others that has allowed Keith to continue his life’s journey against such adversity; it has much to do with the man behind the winning smile and healing body. “You can be a victim or a survivor. I choose every day to be survivor. Even though the descent into despair and the weight of loss might be great, the fortitude to recover and realize the final results will be worth the fight.” Most importantly, Keith will never give up.
*www.buffcharities.com in Little Silver
STATS
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Salt Creek Grille in Rumson
FAVORITE MUSIC
rock
FAVORITE MOVIE
It’s A Wonderful Life
PET PEEVE
when people say they will call back and then don’t
THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
Donald Trump, Tiger Woods, and George W. Bush
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