"My body was ruined by drugs," tears of Tokyo swimming silver medal hero, who suffered from epilepsy and autism, declares comeback: "I am still alive"

*This content was translated by AI.

Australian Paralympic swimming star Page Leonhardt (25) has revealed the mental battle following surgery and the lifelong struggle with illness she has endured.

The UK's "Daily Mail" reported on the 7th (Korea time) that "Leonhardt, the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic silver medalist, recently opened up in detail about the pain she experienced from psychosis and physical changes after surgery."

Leonhardt was involved in a major traffic accident at age 5 when she was thrown from a vehicle. She underwent surgery to remove cerebrospinal fluid and went through a grueling four-year rehabilitation process, but continues to suffer from complex sequelae including right-sided hemiplegia, epilepsy, intracranial hypertension, and autism.

She recently experienced her first mental illness following surgery and shared her current condition. Leonhardt said, "I am scared and angry that my weight has increased due to side effects of medication and my former self seems to have disappeared," and added, "I am learning that healing is the process of first surviving and then understanding the situation later."

Despite the psychological trauma, she has resolved to return to training. Currently, she is focusing on recovery with the support of the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) support team and medical staff. She emphasized that mental health issues may not be visible on the surface and that transparent disclosure can help her own healing.

Leonhardt began swimming at age 12 for accident rehabilitation and showed her genius by winning a bronze medal at the Australian Championships at age 13. Making her debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, she won a silver medal in the 100m butterfly (S14) at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, moving the world with her story.

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*This content was translated by AI.