Robert Schulte loves music. His passion started back in grade school and really blossomed later in life when he made two discoveries: Bass guitar and Rachel Tone, the love of his life for the last 25 years. Until a stroke earlier this year nearly cut his life short.Tone and Schulte were traveling through Nebraska in May when the weather turned severe. Tone says their van got stuck on the side of the road, and they couldn't drive out. After attempting to push the van out himself, Schulte started experiencing his first symptoms. "He said, 'You know, I can't feel my left hand,'" Tone recalls.With the help of a local farmer, they were able to get their van out. But Schulte noticed more concerning symptoms, like numbness throughout his left side. They were about two towns away from the nearest local hospital as Tone got into the driver seat."His head went down, and that was it. There was no more Bobby." Tone said. "I was like, 'Wake up, wake up, say something, talk to me.'"Schulte was having a hemorrhagic stroke. It was nearly fatal, but emergency care saved him. Schulte was transferred to a hospital in Denver shortly after his stroke. By September, he was back in Iowa receiving in-patient care at On With Life. Now, music is bringing him back to life."It lights up and kind of awakens many different areas of our brain simultaneously," music therapist Amy Bishop said.Bishop is a music therapist at On With Life. On With Life specializes in rehabilitation for people with strokes, brain injuries, and other neurological conditions. They offer a variety of services, including music therapy."I get the pleasure of having the job and the career of changing lives," Bishop said. "It's really special in that it can help people work on communication. It can help people work on cognition or recall of memories."Bishop has been working at On With Life for 22 years and has been working closely with Schulte these past few months. "I feel like Bobby is such a super awesome dude," Bishop said. "Just super chill and just always ready for just about anything and everything that I throw at him."And while he has a long road ahead of him, Schulte and Tone believe in the power of music and hope.Thanks to the gift of music, they're hoping for a miracle this Christmas."I'm so so proud and happy," Tone said.To learn more, head to OnWithLife.org

His passion started back in grade school and really blossomed later in life when he made two discoveries: Bass guitar and Rachel Tone, the love of his life for the last 25 years. Until a stroke earlier this year nearly cut his life short.

Tone and Schulte were traveling through Nebraska in May when the weather turned severe. Tone says their van got stuck on the side of the road, and they couldn't drive out. After attempting to push the van out himself, Schulte started experiencing his first symptoms.

"He said, 'You know, I can't feel my left hand,'" Tone recalls.

With the help of a local farmer, they were able to get their van out. But Schulte noticed more concerning symptoms, like numbness throughout his left side. They were about two towns away from the nearest local hospital as Tone got into the driver seat.

"His head went down, and that was it. There was no more Bobby." Tone said. "I was like, 'Wake up, wake up, say something, talk to me.'"

Schulte was having a hemorrhagic stroke. It was nearly fatal, but emergency care saved him. Schulte was transferred to a hospital in Denver shortly after his stroke. By September, he was back in Iowa receiving in-patient care at On With Life.

Now, music is bringing him back to life.

"It lights up and kind of awakens many different areas of our brain simultaneously," music therapist Amy Bishop said.

Bishop is a music therapist at On With Life. On With Life specializes in rehabilitation for people with strokes, brain injuries, and other neurological conditions. They offer a variety of services, including music therapy.

"I get the pleasure of having the job and the career of changing lives," Bishop said. "It's really special in that it can help people work on communication. It can help people work on cognition or recall of memories."

Bishop has been working at On With Life for 22 years and has been working closely with Schulte these past few months.

"I feel like Bobby is such a super awesome dude," Bishop said. "Just super chill and just always ready for just about anything and everything that I throw at him."

And while he has a long road ahead of him, Schulte and Tone believe in the power of music and hope.

Thanks to the gift of music, they're hoping for a miracle this Christmas.