Mareile Höppner: This is how her mother feels after the stroke

“I’ve always been incredibly proud of my mother, but today I’m even more so,” explains Mareile Höppner (47). The mother of the popular television presenter suffered a serious stroke three years ago and has now fought her way back. Höppner deals openly with the blow of fate. Education about the stroke and help for those affected have been a matter close to the heart of the presenter ever since.

Together with the shoe manufacturer Kennel & Schmenger, whose brand ambassador she has been since last year, she has now designed a charity shoe for stroke relief. The black ballerinas made of velvet goatskin achieved sales of 20,000 euros. For the moderator, it’s a “nice sum”, but also an important sign: “For me it’s also about drawing attention to the topic,” explains Höppner and describes in the interview the progress her mother has made so far.

Her mother suffered a stroke three years ago. How is she today?

Mareile Höppner: My mother is in a wheelchair today and has limited speech. Many things that were once taken for granted were taken away from her in one fell swoop. But she fought for a lot again. The most important thing is their positive attitude. I am full of admiration because she doesn’t lose her courage. Since my mother used to be very artistic, the other half of her brain was well-influenced and was able to take on so many things. Otherwise there probably would have been no hope left. My mother suffered a severe stroke that affected the lower parts of her brain and that’s when it all ended. But she always manages to talk to me about everything. We talk on the phone every day, see each other a lot and can communicate well. We have found our ways. She still has advice and critical comments about everything in my life. It just took time for us to work our way there. You have to imagine it like being trapped in your own head. She understands everything, but can’t put it that way.

You speak openly about the stroke of fate on Instagram and in interviews. How difficult was it for you to go public about it?

Höppner: Very difficult because I am very private. When I make a topic like this public, I do it consciously. I decided to do this because it was a promise to my mother. The disease is still talked about far too little. If you have a stroke, you can still do a lot in the first few minutes. That’s one of the reasons why my parents look back on that evening with great sadness. At first they underestimated it and thought my mother was just talking confusedly. That’s when she had her first stroke. Then my mother went to sleep and the next day it was even harder.

Things got really bad in the hospital. Nobody could help her. Nobody helped her. It was a Friday, which is never a good day to be a patient in a hospital. But you can’t blame anyone. This is simply a dramatic progression. I knew that I had to talk about the illness and the changes that such an illness brings to the family and about the care. The environment expects you to function again relatively quickly. But it’s a disease that stays.

Looking back, what was the hardest thing for you in the past three years?

Höppner: The hardest thing is the adjustment that such a strong person is trapped in an illness. And that is still difficult to accept. It’s only because of my mother’s strength that we can bear this and live with it. Nevertheless, you always have to build each other up. Life in a wheelchair is completely different. This is also something that is rarely talked about.

How important is it that prominent women like you openly draw attention to the issue?

Höppner: It is extremely important because it is about showing the meaning. For example, there are hardly any streets or store entrances that are wheelchair-friendly. There are different floor coverings everywhere that can cause the wheelchair to tip over. These things are possible for a young, athletic person in a wheelchair because they have strength in their arms. When you’re more frail, it’s all anxiety-inducing. And what is the consequence? People don’t go out of the house anymore, they don’t dare. The effort is too great. That’s why I see the world with completely new eyes today. I’m happy when it’s built smoothly somewhere. Things like this are world-changing. That’s why it’s important that we become aware of this. Fortunately, these problems are increasingly being recognized and things in the streetscape are changing and becoming more wheelchair friendly – but that should just be a start.

As part of your commitment, a charity shoe was created for the German Stroke Aid. What exactly is behind it?

Höppner: I love shoes, so it’s a perfect combination. I met Kennel & Schmenger a year ago. It is a company that grew out of a family. They still produce mostly in Germany, the leather comes from Italy, but the production chain is here. We thought about what we could do together and then the idea arose: “Let’s work together, you make your own shoe and we’ll do good with it.” I ended up going to the factory and we designed the shoe. I was there for the entire production.

The shoe has already raised 20,000 euros. How touched were you to be able to hand over the proceeds to the foundation?

Höppner: I think that’s really great. Of course, every sum you collect is a drop in a large vessel. But if you have the opportunity to contribute something good in a small way, it’s a great result and it’s a nice sum. That means a lot to me. I also want to draw attention to the topic. I’m really grateful for the support.

What advice can you give to people who have also come into contact with the topic of stroke in your family and friends?

Höppner: So many people contacted me and it really touched me. I’ve found that if you endure it together, it’s a little easier. It’s about finding hope in the little things of everyday life. That’s easy to say because everyday life is much harder, much more depressing and often sadder. But we don’t laugh any less. What touches me is how positively people always react to others in wheelchairs. I think that’s a really nice signal. I’ve always been incredibly proud of my mother, but today I’m even more so. She is dealing with this illness admirably. She laughs and is as positive and as interested in life as she always has been. If this example makes some people look forward again, I would be happy. Otherwise it just helps to accept it. This disease won’t go away. But you accept it, you fight for small steps. You can still achieve a lot with a stroke. You have to stick with it and set yourself tasks. And otherwise, as simple as it sounds, don’t lose hope.