‘Mystery man’ behind Paralympic champ’s second chance at life revealed
Champion Paralympian Alexa Leary has come face-to-face with the doctors who helped give the popular swimmer a second chance at life after a horror crash.
Alexa Leary’s stunning comeback story appeared to be complete after her Paralympic heroics.
However, a surprise twist remained following her remarkable recovery from a near-fatal training accident.
Leary defied the odds to become the darling of the 2024 Paralympic pool in Paris, claiming two swimming gold medals and a world record.
But it seemed there was still some unfinished business.
For years, the champion freestyler had wondered about the people who had helped give her a second chance at life following a horrific crash that left her with a traumatic brain injury.
A promising triathlete, Leary fell off her bike at 75km/h while training on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and landed on her head in July 2021.
An off-duty doctor cycling nearby placed Leary in the recovery position to keep her breathing before paramedics arrived.
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A LifeFlight medic also played a vital role, keeping her stable during a 30-minute helicopter ride from the Sunshine Coast to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Almost five years after the accident, Leary finally came face-to-face with her unsung heroes at a teary reunion at the LifeFlight Sunshine Coast base.
Leary had looked forward to finally meeting LifeFlight doctor Andrew Hughes, who was responsible for her care during their critical half-hour journey.
She was shocked when the off-duty doctor who had acted as first responder also lobbed – nuclear medicine physician Andrew Paszkowski.
Then came possibly the biggest surprise – Dr Paszkowski just happens to be Dr Hughes’ next-door neighbour.
“They’re the big reason why I’m here. LifeFlight is a massive reason,” Leary said.
Dr Hughes happily accepted a warm hug from Leary.
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“Alexa is a prime example of why we do what we do,” he said.
“The last time I saw her, she was very broken. And to now see her happy, healthy and not just thriving but excelling is a really fabulous feeling.”
His neighbour Dr Paszkowski pleasantly surprised Leary with his reunion attendance, finally revealing the “mystery man” first responder.
“I just wanted to do the basics to keep her going until the ambulance arrived,” Dr Paszkowski said.
“My thought was ‘this girl was in a lot of trouble’. It was clear she’d had a significant head injury. Her helmet had a crack in it.”
During Leary’s 111-day hospital stay, doctors told her parents Russ and Belinda more than once they should prepare to say goodbye.
Leary became a champion Paralympian after learning to walk and talk again.
The 24-year-old has a book out in April, Sink or Swim.
But her comeback story may yet still have more chapters to come, with August’s Para Pan Pacs and 2028 Paralympics in her sights.
“I’ve restarted my whole new life, I feel good,” Leary said.
-with AAP
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