When Work Becomes Personal: Penumbra Employee’s Grandmother Saved by Device He Helped Build

Pictured above. From left to right: Tyler’s grandfather, Ed Curtis; Tyler’s wife, Lucy; Tyler Cobb; and his grandmother, Cindy Curtis

In the summer of 2021, Tyler Cobb was working on the manufacturing line for Penumbra’s neuro embolization coils. In August of that year, he learned that his 74-year-old grandmother, Cindy, was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and would be treated with Penumbra coils. The following events would connect his work and personal life in ways he never imagined.

Aneurysms run in Tyler’s family. His great-grandmother, Cindy’s mother, had passed away from an aneurysm rupture years earlier. And about a year before Cindy’s diagnosis, her sister Donnice suffered an aneurysm that left her severely disabled. Cindy underwent a procedure in September 2021, and five Penumbra coils successfully embolized her aneurysm with the aid of a stent.

Understanding the family history, Tyler said, “it’s a blessing to still have my grandmother. It is an incredible feeling to know that I helped build the type of coils that saved her life.”

“When I first shared this story with my team, it served as a powerful reminder that our work matters. It hit home not only for me, but also for some of my amazing coworkers,” Tyler said. “It brought our mission to life in a deeply human way and gave our team renewed motivation and pride in what we do.”

Several of Tyler’s colleagues who were on the coil loading line at the time of the procedure met Cindy at Tyler’s wedding to his wife, Lucy, in April 2025. At one point during the reception, Grandma Cindy looked at Tyler, pointed to his colleagues and asked, “Is that the people who built my coils?”

“Yes, it is,” he told her. For Tyler, it was an emotional and unforgettable day, made even more meaningful by his grandma’s presence — something that may not have been possible without Penumbra’s innovation.

This heartfelt moment of Cindy meeting the Penumbra employees who had helped make the type of coils that saved her life was captured in this photo.

“It was the first time my grandmother had the opportunity to meet the people who helped make her second chance possible,” Tyler said. “These people are not only my Penumbra team, but my best friends and will forever be a part of my extended family. This was a moment of connection, gratitude, and hope — and I believe it’s one worth sharing.” 

“I am grateful for all the Penumbra production builders across all our sites. They do incredible lifesaving work, and I hope that each and every one of them knows how proud I am of their hard work every single day.”   

Learn more about Penumbra’s neuro embolization coils.

Important Safety Information
Additional information about Penumbra’s products can be located on Penumbra’s website at https://www.penumbrainc.com/products/neuro-embolization-system/. Caution: Federal (USA) law restricts these devices to sale by or on the order of a physician. Prior to use, please refer to Instructions for Use for complete product indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, potential adverse events, and detailed instructions for use. Risk information can be found at peninc.info/risk.

The clinical results presented herein are for informational purposes only, and may not be predictive for all patients. Individual results may vary depending on patient-specific attributes and other factors.