A WIFE welcomed home her husband almost five months after a haemorrhagic stroke turned their lives upside down.

Geoff Smith, 49, returned to his home in South Woodham Ferrers after suffering a stroke which led to half of his skull being removed to relieve pressure on his brain.

Since then, he has been continuously treated in intensive care, before he was moved to Broomfield Hospital.

His wife Jo, 48, was waiting, as for the first time since suffering the stroke on March 28, Geoff set foot back at his home.

She said: “I cannot even describe what I was feeling emotionally.

“I felt anxious, nervous, excited, sick prior to Geoff pulling up outside as I wasn’t sure what time he would be home.

“I was pacing up and down and really didn’t know what to do with myself.

“It’s cliché but seeing him walk towards me was I imagine equal to winning the lottery but multiplying it by thousands.

“Money can’t buy you the incredible moment I experienced.”

Geoff was struck suddenly by the stroke when he was at home, which caused a very severe bleed in his brain.

On a daily basis Jo has been posting updates on Geoff’s condition on the Facebook page, ‘Geoff’s Journey’.

Thanks to the support of generous donations from people across the world, a GoFundMe page to fund Geoff’s physiotherapy has raised almost £7,500.

After embracing Geoff for the first time outside of hospital, Jo said: “I feel like the luckiest girl alive.”

The family is now preparing for its event, Funds Up for Geoff Day.

On Sunday, September 1, the village hall in South Woodham Ferrers will be the centre of the event, which will see hundreds of residents coming out to help continue raising cash for Geoff’s recovery.

Jo added: “I have an amazing team of support around me that have been busy behind the scenes preparing for the Funds-up for Geoff Fund Day.

“All we can hope for now is decent weather which will be the icing on the cake.”

To find out more about the event next month, search for Geoff’s funds-Up day on Facebook.