'There was another guy alongside her': Alexa Leary's dad recalls 'unbelievable' moment daughter cheated death
*Written by Karishma Sarkari
Alexa Leary defied doctors' expectations to survive the bike accident that led her to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where she's scored two gold medals.
The Australian swimming sensation's parents, Russ and Belinda, told Nine's Sylvia Jeffreys and Kurt Fearnley they said their goodbyes to their daughter multiple times after the crash.
Russell revealed just how touch and go it was at one point, saying Alexa stunned the professionals when they took out her breathing apparatus in hospital.
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"There was another guy alongside [her and] they took them both out at once," Russ recalled, getting emotional.
"He passed away and the doctor says to me, 'I thought Alexa was gonna die'. It's unbelievable.
"And then, here she is. It's just incredible."
Alexa Leary dad revealed she defied doctors's expectations to survive the accident that led to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Nine
Alexa credits a mystery doctor, who was one of the first on the scene, for her progress post-accident.
"It's amazing that what he did ... It's a big thanks to him for how far I've come," she said.
"A big, big thanks."
Alexa credits a mystery doctor, who was one of the first on the scene, for her progress post-accident. Nine
Russell said the triple-zero operator had told those helping Alexa not to move her but the doctor arrived and said otherwise.
"You've got to move her over to get her breathing," said Russ, who described that moment as a "turning point".
"From the day of that accident we went into like a dark cloud, and it was like a horror movie," Russ said.
"Now we've come out the other end of it. It's just crazy."
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The swimmer's parents, Russell and Belinda Leary, told Nine's Sylvia Jeffreys and Kurt Fearnley they'd said their goodbyes to their daughter multiple times after the crash. Nine
Alexa, 23, said getting into the pool after spending 111 days in hospital was an easy choice as she began her "second life".
"I got out of the hospital and I didn't want to feel so down about myself and I was like, 'Get out and go do something Lex that you want for your own self'," she recalled.
"And I did. Swimming, I love it, it was my favourite leg in the triathlon," she laughed.
As a fun treat for the golden girl, she was gifted 75 Nutella crepes after becoming famous for the saying, "It's the crepes for me!", after scoring her place on the Australian Paralympic team.
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