Paralympic champion Alexa Leary AOM has reunited with the two doctors who helped save her life after a horrific high-speed cycling crash five years ago.
Leary fell off her bike while travelling at 70km/h as part of triathlon training on the Sunshine Coast in July 2021.
She was flown by a LifeFlight helicopter to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she received intensive treatment for a severe traumatic brain injury.
The effects of her ‘invisible disability’ still impact her daily life, more than four years after the crash.
‘All my brain connections have been shattered and so it’s really hard for me – sometimes I wake up and I don’t know where I am,’ Leary told 7News on Tuesday.
‘Having brain damage is so hard, every day, living with it.’
After spending 111 days in hospital and three months undergoing out-patient rehabilitation, Leary set a new goal: to become a Paralympian.
She went on to earn a spot on Australia’s Paralympic swimming team for the 2024 Paris Games, where she won two gold medals and one silver.
Alexa Leary (above) was in a life-threatening bicycle crash in July 2021 that resulted in a traumatic brain injury
Leary recently met with the two doctors (above) who cared for her immediately after the devastating crash
Leary recently realised another dream, meeting the two doctors who treated her immediately after her cycling accident.
Dr Andrew Paszkowski was off-duty and happened to be cycling near Leary when she crashed. He kept her breathing until paramedics arrived.
LifeFlight critical care doctor Andrew Hughes cared for her in the helicopter en route to the hospital.
Leary hugged the pair upon reuniting with them and thanked them for their life-saving care.
‘I was like, I am going to shake your hand; I am going to give you a hug. It was incredible. Of course I had a few little tears, but I loved it,’ she said.
Dr Hughes was proud to see all Leary had accomplished after suffering such severe injuries.
‘Alexa is a prime example of why we do what we do,’ he said.
‘The last time I saw her, she was very broken.
Leary (pictured during her treatment) spent 111 days in hospital and three months in out-patient rehabilitation following her crash
Leary (above) won two gold medals and one silver at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games
‘To now see her happy, healthy and not just thriving but excelling is a really fabulous feeling for me.’
Leary’s memoir, Sink or Swim, will be released on April 14.
The emotional book focuses on the details of her crash, her long recovery, exceptional determination to meet her goals, and ongoing advocacy for traumatic brain injury awareness.
Part of that advocacy includes Leary’s ongoing calls for a national day recognising traumatic brain injuries.
