More About Me

Life Begins

I was born in June of 1949 in Sacramento to parents

Dan Sr. and Alice Batchelder. My father was a WWII Navy combat veteran in the South Pacific and retired as the Postmaster of Phoenix, AZ. I am blessed with two younger sisters, Twinkle and Michelle, both destined to assist in my Stroke Recovery as Co-Caregivers.

A native of Sacramento, I graduated from Mira Loma High School in 1967, American River College in 1969, and CSUS in 1972 with a BS Degree in Marketing. I am a Fraternity Brother of the Phi Kappa Ta, Omega Chapter (active).

I was married in 1972 to my lovely wife, Roberta.

She became my lead Caregiver after my Stroke on June 25, 2021.

We will celebrate, the Lord willing, our 50th Anniversary in 2022.

In 1977, we became the proud parents of our Son, Brian Daniel. He is a retired US Army Major, Clinical Social Worker for Orange County Health, and a Iron Man competitor. He joined in my Stroke recovery,

also as a Co-Caregiver.

Adult Life

In 1973, Roberta and I moved to New Jersy where I took my first

corporate job in the Mutual Benefit Life company. I retired early, in 1987, having become a Corporate Officer and Director of Marketing Services.

We returned to California and family in 1987, and took up residence in Rocklin CA, where I began my 20 year career as Consultant in my own enterprise, MARKETCARE.

In 2003, I joined The Home Depot as a part-time associate and became a Certified Nursery Consultant in the Stanford Ranch store. In 2007 I became a full-time associate where, at the time of my Stroke, I was the Store Ambassador and store-wide Home Improvement Consultant.

In 2019 I designed and launched my first website

Since my Stroke in June 2021 I have devoted much of my energy and experiences to the development of The Stroke Angel Project and its subsequent website strokeangel.org. The project includes advocating

for Stroke Prevention and Peer Navigation for Stroke Survivors.

My recovery could not have been possible, and as successful as

it has been, without the Caregiving delivered by my two sisters, Michelle and Twinkle. They interrupted their lives, without complaint, to be with me on weekdays until I was capable of staying home alone. I will be forever in their debt and filled with a Very Special Love for them both.

One of the things I missed most during my hospital stay was my little dog LuLu. We were close before my Stroke, but since my return home, she has been my constant companion. She rarely leaves my side. And, she has been a direct beneficiary of my progress as the walks she most dearly loves got progressively longer with my recovery. LuLu was a rescue. She was living with a homeless couple when the husband died and had to be given up for adoption. She is a Min-Pin-Palomino. She kills rats ( shakes them to death ) and is a very vocal watchdog.