A Stroke Turned This NYC Software Professional Into A Successful Artist In North Jersey

HOBOKEN, NJ — Like many professionals living in Hoboken, Kurt Gardiner used to commute each day to a job in technology in New York City. He also became a licensed real estate agent in New Jersey.

Everything changed on April 24, 2019.

That night, Gardiner, who is also an unpaid commissioner on the North Hudson Sewerage Authority, woke up in the wee hours and realized he had had a stroke. He was 52 years old.

"I was drinking that night very heavily," he acknowledged in a recent interview. "I woke up at 4:30 a.m. I immediately noticed my right side didn’t work right. I was able to go to the mirror and I was horrified when I saw my face droop. At that point I knew I had a stroke."

Gardiner believes a slew of health issues that include Diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as his alcohol consumption, contributed to the stroke

"We don’t know for sure, but that is the likely cause," Gardiner said. "If I could give any advice, I would say never binge drink like I did. But there are no do-overs in life."

Gardiner said he has "no problem" telling the truth about his situation, because it may help others.

Gardiner had received his real estate license in Hoboken about three weeks before his stroke and had completed three rentals.

But Gardiner was under stress. He'd temporarily left his job a few months earlier to help take care of both of his ailing parents, a situation in which members of his generation frequently find themselves.

"I resigned to watch my father die, and then to help my mother with her stroke, heart attack, and dementia," Gardiner said.

"I suffered my stroke almost exactly three months after my mother died."

A New Calling

The next chapter in Gardiner's life saw him learning to walk again, he told Patch.

Gardiner spent a week at Hoboken University Medical Center, where he received rehab until his insurance insisted he move on to a professional rehab clinic.

"I went to Saddle Brook Rehab for a month and they worked on my speech," Gardiner said. "[They] taught me how to walk again, and walk up the stairs."

Gardiner, who stands at 6-foot-8, said, "It was long and hard and my right side is still affected, but I am alive. I have lost 100 pounds got my A1C under control and my total cholesterol is 110. I could still have another stroke but I have reduced those probabilities significantly."

While trying to rest up, Gardiner found a new calling.

He had started an occasional Hoboken political blog in 2008, then bought a different site called The Boken Online in 2013. While commenting on local politics, he found that he enjoyed taking photos.

As he recovered from the stroke, he began turning some of his iconic Hoboken photos into coasters and selling them in places like Bwe coffee shop, where he enjoys spending downtime.

He didn't think it would be fruitful.

"My style of photography, which is HDR (high dynamic range), evolved, but it didn't start getting good until 2014," he said. "That is the year I took my iconic photo of the Lackawanna terminal. It is currently a best seller. I didn’t seriously think I could sell it when I had my first show at D’s Soulful Cafe in 2020. I did well and sold about 20 pieces, but I didn’t start selling at festivals until August of 2022."

He added, "From there I have been at Hoboken festivals, coffee shops, and under the Viaduct."

Gardiner is now a common sight around town, carefully lugging a wagon full of his coasters and magnets to festivals, farmer's markets, and businesses on the main drag, Washington Street.

Besides photos of Hoboken and New York City life, he's occasionally incorporated AI to spice up a few of his pieces, as in the middle photo above.

He also recently worked with the Hoboken Historical Museum at the St. Ann's Festival to sell Hoboken items.

What's Next?

Gardiner, who grew up in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., said he has come to accept that even though he has made a lot of progress, "I still am limited with my right hand and it is probably not going to get much better, but I accept that now."

He still has his real estate license, so he said he will continue to work, but would sell his artwork full time if he could.

"March April and May were fruitful months," he said on Monday. "June, not as much, as I fell, there were a lot of rainy days, and people were away. But in July I am doing much better thanks to the Saint Ann’s Festival. I still have three more days ... I want to thank Hoboken [people] for giving me my start."

He added, "I love the whole process of making and selling my photos. I have over 500, possibly 1,000 shots of Hoboken, and I am adding new ones all the time."

"The best thing I believe I am doing, though, is providing a sense of pride about Hoboken that my photography brings out," he added.

"That almost is important of the commercial success I may enjoy. Next year I plan to expand to Jersey City and maybe even Manhattan."

It's Not Just Luke Perry

While some may believe strokes are just for senior citizens, a quarter of stroke victims are under 65.

"The recent deaths of John Singleton and Luke Perry have been a wake-up call for many," noted a cardiology practice in Manhattan, in an article entitled "Why Are People In Their 50s Having Strokes?" Find out more about that here.

Find more of Kurt Gardiner's art here.