Abracadabra: Professional Magician Completely Recovers From Stroke at Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation

3/6/2026

As a third-generation professional magician and Segway Mini driver, Emory knows the beauty and power of speed. So, when he suffered a stroke earlier this year – losing his ability to walk and speak well – Emory insisted on going to a rehab center that would help him get back up to speed.

“I found the video tour online and said, 'If I can’t go there, I don’t want to go anywhere,'” he recalls. “And when I arrived, not only was it clean, beautiful and comfortable, but the staff was very friendly, gentle and polite. They cared. It was like they knew me – it was like I was a relative walking into the room. And they kept me busy, with good, productive uses of time.”

Emory spent his time at Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation re-learning how to walk, speak clearly and do other basic things without assistance. He fondly remembers one particular assignment in the kitchen.

“My occupational therapist, Sara, said, ‘I want to make sure you can take care of yourself – cook me an egg, any style,’” he recalls. “She watched to see my thought process, dexterity, cooking process and whether or not I remembered to turn the stove off.”

Then, he ate the egg (scrambled).

Sara also took Emory out to coffee to see how well he looked out for traffic, handled curbs, and made his own order.

“The question was: Am I going to be able to function in the world?” he explains. “Sara also evaluated my home life in terms of rugs and stairs, to make sure I was safe. All the techs were awesome, and Sara really stood out. They treat you like family.”

Now, Emory is back to doing what he loves most – “making people question reality and riding my Segway mini.” He thanks the Transitions staff for helping him return – voila! – to his life, work and loved ones.

For more information about Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation, or to arrange a tour of the facility, call (520) 403-2563 or visit https://www.healthiertucson.com/inpatient-rehabilitation-services.

Back