Filmmaker Jaime Tafoya shares experience as stroke survivor
Jaime Tafoya fell in love with film when he was a child.
After his grandmother took him to see the 1968 “Planet of the Apes,” he says he developed an interest in photography. He would borrow his mother’s camera to make small movies, ranging from claymation to creating his own James Bond film. He proceeded to take courses through the now closed Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco, turning a serious hobby into a career.
After his grandmother took him to see the 1968 “Planet of the Apes,” he says he developed an interest in photography. He would borrow his mother’s camera to make small movies, ranging from claymation to creating his own James Bond film. He proceeded to take courses through the now closed Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco, turning a serious hobby into a career.
“Being an artist is, no matter what medium you’re in … you’re conveying your vision and you want to hopefully move people,” Tafoya says.
Now, with the release of his new documentary “Stroke – The Circle of Healing,” the Sacramento director hopes he can move others by sharing his experience as a stroke survivor.
The documentary, released through PBS KVIE in December, details Tafoya’s stroke in 2017 and his ongoing recovery, which includes not only physical therapy but mental, emotional and spiritual health to complete the “circle” of healing.
Tafoya says that while he hopes the general public raises their awareness of strokes from the documentary, he really made it with stroke survivors in mind.
In 2017, Tafoya was working as a chef for Bon Appétit Management Company in Maryland to pursue cooking, another passion of his. It was then that he experienced his ischemic stroke,which impacted the left side of his brain. Although his friends and family were not present physically, he says they supported him often. However, he adds that many stroke survivors have no one to turn to and feel isolated.
When the film came out, Tafoya says a woman reached out to him through Facebook to tell him she was moved because somebody recognized her struggle to rehabilitate. Tafoya says this is exactly what he wanted.
“I want to let them know there’s life after stroke because I went through all of those sharp phases,” Tafoya says. “What people don’t understand is the mental and emotional toll a health event can have on you. That can be a real big barrier to overcome, especially if you don’t have the support.”
Tafoya, who is of Native American heritage and whose great-grandfather is a part of the Northern Arapaho tribe, also included Native American professionals who spoke on how the group faces barriers to health care. Tafoya also speaks on how he utilizes the Sacramento Native American Health Center’s Healing Ways program to use holistic medicine alongside his prescribed medicine.
Tafoya says he wants to continue directing and producing documentaries, specifically Native American-focused ones.
“I’m a huge Native American advocate,” Tafoya says. “This last half of my life, I’m going to devote myself to making more Native American themed films because that community has given me so much in terms of support and wisdom to get through these times.”
Now, with the release of his new documentary “Stroke – The Circle of Healing,” the Sacramento director hopes he can move others by sharing his experience as a stroke survivor.
The documentary, released through PBS KVIE in December, details Tafoya’s stroke in 2017 and his ongoing recovery, which includes not only physical therapy but mental, emotional and spiritual health to complete the “circle” of healing.
Tafoya says that while he hopes the general public raises their awareness of strokes from the documentary, he really made it with stroke survivors in mind.
In 2017, Tafoya was working as a chef for Bon Appétit Management Company in Maryland to pursue cooking, another passion of his. It was then that he experienced his ischemic stroke,which impacted the left side of his brain. Although his friends and family were not present physically, he says they supported him often. However, he adds that many stroke survivors have no one to turn to and feel isolated.
When the film came out, Tafoya says a woman reached out to him through Facebook to tell him she was moved because somebody recognized her struggle to rehabilitate. Tafoya says this is exactly what he wanted.
“I want to let them know there’s life after stroke because I went through all of those sharp phases,” Tafoya says. “What people don’t understand is the mental and emotional toll a health event can have on you. That can be a real big barrier to overcome, especially if you don’t have the support.”
Tafoya, who is of Native American heritage and whose great-grandfather is a part of the Northern Arapaho tribe, also included Native American professionals who spoke on how the group faces barriers to health care. Tafoya also speaks on how he utilizes the Sacramento Native American Health Center’s Healing Ways program to use holistic medicine alongside his prescribed medicine.
Tafoya says he wants to continue directing and producing documentaries, specifically Native American-focused ones.
“I’m a huge Native American advocate,” Tafoya says. “This last half of my life, I’m going to devote myself to making more Native American themed films because that community has given me so much in terms of support and wisdom to get through these times.”