Weekend anchor Kristen Aguirre makes her WLOS debut, two years after paralyzing stroke

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Just 24 months ago, there were no guarantees Kristen Aguirre would ever be at an anchor desk again. But after recovering from a stroke, she now serves as a beacon of hope and a voice for the vulnerable as News 13's new weekend evening anchor.

"I was wondering, where is the Latino voice in all of our coverage?" Aguirre recalled the moment she decided to continue her journalism career. "That, for me, was the little spark I needed. 'Okay, you still have this love for news, we've gotta get back out there.'"

Her new chapter in Asheville is a big step fueled by faith and sheer determination.

"For me, this is really a dream job," she says. "I took the last year to really focus on my health and really think about what Kristen wanted to do next. The last two years have been pretty difficult for me."

Of course, "pretty difficult" is the ultimate understatement.

Back in April of 2019, Kristen was an anchor and reporter at KUSA in Denver, Colorado. One day, she took a nap that changed everything.

KRISTEN AGUIRRE JOINS THE NEWS 13 TEAM

"I didn't know what was going on, and I got up, and I had already fell to the ground because my left side was already paralyzed," Aguirre said. "So from what we know, we think my stroke happened during my nap. What caused it, we still have no idea."

She was just 31 at the time of the stroke.

Ever since, she's been laser focused to get back to where she was physically before the spring of 2019.

"There's nothing wrong with being paralyzed and being in a wheelchair," she says. "But for me, I just knew that wasn't my path, that I think God had a different path for me. And so that's what's kind of pushed me every day."

Every wiggle of the toe gave her a flicker of hope.

"I could sit around and be sad that this happened to me, or I could change what was gonna be my future," said Aguirre.

It was three months before Kristen could walk again. It wasn't until six months after the stroke that she regained the use of her left arm.

"So my left hand's a little weak sometimes," she says. "Sometimes, my fine motor skills can be a little tough, but if that's the worst thing that I'm left with, I feel lucky."

The past 757 days gave her a sense of how fortunate she is, despite the obstacles.

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"Like I tell people, I took a nap and I was one woman, and then I woke up up a couple of hours later... completely different life," Aguirre says.

Lately, she feels like herself again. Only now, she approaches her life and her job with a powerful sense of purpose.

"I've met so many people with disabilities on this entire journey, that I really feel like I can be a mouthpiece for them."

Kristen will be behind the desk on weekend evenings at 6, 10 and 11, and she will also be reporting nightside on WLOS.

Be sure to check out Kristen's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

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