In the third grade, Kyle Kieffer, 26, learned he had epilepsy. The East Amherst man says he remembers walking down the hallway at school, falling to the ground then waking up in an ambulance.

"I really had no idea what had happened,” Kieffer said. “I mean, a 9-year-old kid really is a little confused. I got to the hospital and my family was there. After going through three or four tests, I had a seizure.” 

The Epilepsy Lifestyle blogger says it took about two or three big seizures to be fully-diagnosed. In 2015, doctors tried to learn more about his condition through an invasive exam. 

"I had six electrodes put in my head and then I had probably 100 other wires connected to my head,” he said. “I was in the hospital for two weeks on the dot and I had my mom in the hospital room with me for the two weeks.”

"I would tell other parents if their child has epilepsy to try and get as much information as they can out of their doctors," advises Paula Kieffer, Kyle's mother. 

Kieffer has faced many challenges from his seizures and treatment, even not being able to drive. However, he’s never stopped persevering. The East Amherst man has played sports, gone to college and even started a blog to help others. 

"It really did start when I was in the hospital with that test,” he said. “My nurses kind of let me walk around in the hallway. I would peek in the doors and seeing the other people in there. And it really kind of shocked me that there's other people who are going through the same thing. It's to, kind of, share my story and help others.”