Wider Circle’s Stories From The Circle: “A Second Lease on Life”: Irma’s Story

What does it take to bring someone back from years of isolation? For Irma, the answer was simple: a team that refused to give up.

In this edition of Stories from the Circle, meet Irma—a woman who spent years on her own after a brain aneurysm. When she finally found a community that refused to give up, it changed everything.

She calls it, simply, “a second lease on life.” We hope her story reminds you what’s possible when a community refuses to give up on one of its own.

Irma M.

A Second Lease on Life: Irma’s Journey from Isolation to Leadership

After years of isolation, Irma found a community that wouldn’t give up—now, she’s the one leading the way.

Irma had always kept to herself, but after a 2019 brain aneurysm, she withdrew even further. Though she appreciated Wider Circle’s persistent check-ins, it took years before she felt ready to step outside. 

In 2023, Irma finally decided to give Wider Circle a chance—and the moment she walked through the door of her first event, she felt it. Deeply moved by the community spirit, she realized exactly what she’d been missing.

Irma began attending virtual events, picking up health tips and community resources she hadn’t known existed. Soon, she made the leap to in-person events, too, and found she loved the physical connection even more. “She gets a lot of happiness and enjoyment from them,” says Jessamyn Ochoa, her Wider Circle Area Manager. “Especially just seeing everyone, meeting her friends, hugging them, and talking to them.”

Irma found herself looking to the ambassadors around her, studying how they showed up for people. “I have learned a lot from other ambassadors,” she says, regarding how to show love and care for others. Before long, she became one herself. 

Today, she helps lead a Wider Circle member club. She personally calls members each month to invite them and offers rides to neighbors in need—going out of her way because that’s what she saw the people around her do.

In 2024, Irma began losing peripheral vision due to párpado caído—a drooping eyelid condition that required surgery in early 2025. Through it all, Wider Circle showed up. From regular check-ins to a warm reception at a Valentine’s Day event, Irma felt truly seen. “The community really cared about what she was going through,” says Jessamyn. Surrounded by support rather than solitude, Irma found that this connection helped her heal even faster.

As she recovered, Irma started exercising like her fellow community members. She lost weight and now describes herself as being at “a healthy weight and size for her age.” When thinking about her wellbeing since joining Wider Circle, Irma says “Wider Circle helped me out in all aspects of my health” and that she “feels better, including being happier.”

Jessamyn has watched the transformation up close. “She’s a really happy and positive person,“ she says. “I love how she encourages other members to talk with each other.” Irma jokes around, brings a lightness to the room, and has a way of drawing quieter members out just by being fully, warmly present.

Irma puts it simply: Wider Circle gave her “a second lease on life.”

“I’m eternally grateful that they never gave up on me,” Irma shared. 

Thank you, Irma, for sharing your story and welcoming us into your circle. And thank you to our sponsors for helping make moments like these possible every day.