It comes as new figures show stroke patients in Nottingham have a better chance of survival than ever before.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has revealed that deaths from strokes in and around the city have dropped by nearly a third – even though the number of people having them is on the rise.
Malcolm said: "I thought I was going to die, I'm so thankful I'm still here."
The city's high level of smokers, obese people and an aging population have been cited as some of the reasons why hospitals have seen a five per cent rise in strokes.
Latest figures show 1,015 people in 2011-12 had a stroke – which can show itself as either a haemorrhage or a blood clot on the brain which causes a blockage and cuts off circulation.
But despite the rise in admissions, improved medical care has seen the death rate fall by almost a third. In 2008-9, 964 people were admitted with strokes and 199 of them died. In 2011-12 the hospitals had 1,015 stroke admissions and only 137 people died.
Head of stroke services Dawn Good said: "We're making good progress. I am encouraged by these figures, we have to carry on doing the simple things well."
CCTV shows the moment Mr Wheatley had a stroke while on a bus to his home in Top Valley. He said: "It was a very strange feeling. I didn't know what was happening to me and I lost all control of my body."
Doctors saw widower Mr Wheatley very quickly and gave him a clot-busting drug injection, and after several weeks in hospital he is expected to make a good recovery.
