Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
At 63, Glen Miller was head coach of the University of Saint Joseph men’s basketball team, a program he helped build into a perennial NCAA Tournament contender.
His résumé included a college career at Northeastern University, where he played under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. When Calhoun left to become head coach at UConn, Glen joined his staff. He later became the head coach at Connecticut College, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania before returning to UConn as associate head coach and landing at USJ.
For four decades, Glen lived by game plans, discipline, and the drive it takes to succeed.
But what he didn’t expect was that all of it would prepare him for the hardest comeback of his career.
For years, Glen lived with atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea, conditions known to increase stroke risk. Still, he never imagined a stroke would happen to him. He stayed active, worked out regularly, kept up with the physical demands of coaching, and “had energy to spare.”
One morning last May, as Glen prepared to leave home for an early flight to Florida, a searing pain shot through his head, dropping him to his knees.
Doctors discovered two blood clots in his brain, including one in his carotid artery. “If it happened just a few hours later on the plane,” he reflects, “it would have been the end of me.”
After four nights in the ICU, Glen was transferred to Gaylord Hospital, a place he says had “a great reputation.”
Although the right side of Glen’s body felt numb after the stroke, he was grateful that he could still move and walk.
But what he couldn’t do was talk.
The stroke had damaged his brain’s language centers, causing a common disorder called aphasia.
The silence was devastating for a man who spent his entire career giving pregame speeches, calling plays, and motivating players with his words.
"It was extremely frustrating not to be able to communicate with people," he says.
During his two months at Gaylord, Glen worked closely with speech-language pathologist Paula Cappola to regain his speech.
“Aphasia affects how someone processes and expresses language,” Paula explains, “but it doesn’t change who they are or what they know. Glen rose to every challenge in speech therapy, refusing to let aphasia define him. His perseverance not only helped rebuild his ability to communicate but also inspired people around him to push past their own limits.”
Glen’s competitive mindset showed up in everything he did. He asked his therapists for homework, pushed for extra sessions, and made a habit of arriving early and staying late.
At the end of his inpatient stay, Glen transitioned to Traurig House, Gaylord's residential brain injury program, for two weeks. The transition helped him practice the everyday tasks of independent living in a group setting while continuing intensive outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
Glen remembers his initial hesitancy to join the aphasia group sessions but quickly found that the group setting propelled his recovery. Sitting with other patients who were navigating the same frustrating gap between what they knew and what they could say helped him see his own recovery differently. He started rooting for the people around him, and they started rooting for him in return.
"One person lifts up another in times of difficulty," he says. "That's what a team does. You can’t do it alone.”
Photo Credit: Steve McLaughlin Photography
Today, Glen is back on the sidelines coaching. During the 2025-2026 season, he led the University of St. Joseph men’s basketball team to the Great Northeast Conference championship game following an 11-game winning streak.
Glen describes his speech as a “work in progress,” but like any true competitor, he refuses to let that become an excuse.
"You wake up," he says, "and you gotta win the day. It’s all you can do."
That mindset carried him through his recovery and, he says, was the same one he saw reflected in his Gaylord team.
“I haven't met a single person who didn’t love their job. You can just tell in their demeanor, their attitude, and their compassion.”
He pauses, searching for the right words.
“This place,” he says, “was a lifesaver.”
This content is for educational purposes only and is meant to provide general information. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns about your health. In case of a medical emergency, contact your doctor or call 911 right away.