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Triple Olympic champ and rowing hero Pete Reed paralysed from chest down after freak stroke in back and may not recover

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LONDON 2012 Olympic hero Pete Reed has revealed he is paralysed from the chest down after a freak stroke in his back.

Reed, 38, is one of Team GB’s most successful rowers ever with three gold medals across three Games.

Reed won his second of three Olympic gold medals at London 2012
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Public SitRep: Today is #WorldStrokeDay so I thought I would update you on my current situation. Spinal strokes are very rare. They essentially starve the spinal cord of oxygen which can kill off the cells that transmit the signals sent between the brain and (in my case) the lower body. Doctors can’t be certain what caused my stroke. It was in the middle of my spine so I’m currently paralysed beneath my chest. Prognosis: there is no crystal ball. There is a very small chance I will make no recovery and a very small chance I will make a full recovery. Much more likely it will be somewhere in between. To what extent depends on the extent of the damage (which we can’t see) and how well I rehab. All the other news is great. My arms are still strong and my brain is still as average as it ever was. My personal support network continues to be bombproof (thank you so much) and I am handling myself every bit as well as you would hope. I’m keeping a diary of this whole experience – the ups, downs, challenges, triumphs. I’ll keep odd posts coming. Until then, enjoy the rugby (if you’re going to spend a prolonged period in hospital, it may as well be during the 2019 Rugby World Cup). Onwards. • Thank you for all the comments on my last post. Thanks also to all of you who have offered to help… right now I don’t even know what to ask for. I feel like I have everything I need at this stage.

A post shared by Pete Reed (@petereed) on

A Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, Reed retired after Rio 2016 — clinching gold in the coxed eight.

But after revealing his plight on October 9, he confirmed the news on Tuesday that he has been paralysed from the chest down.

Reed said on Instagram: “There is a very small chance I will make no recovery and a very small chance I will make a full recovery.

“Much more likely it will be somewhere in between.

“To what extent depends on the extent of the damage (which we can’t see) and how well I rehab.

“All the other news is great. My arms are still strong and my brain is still as average as it ever was.”

Support and best-wishes poured in from fellow Olympians and sporting stars for Reed, who was born in Seattle.

He is the second Rio 2016 champion paralysed after German cyclist Kristina Vogel was rendered wheelchair-bound following a horrific accident in training.

There had been rumours reed would attempt to train for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but he denied comeback talk recently after revealing he needed to be on anti-doping tests for a year before rowing again.

DOCTORS BAFFLED

Fellow rowing ace James Cracknell posted: “The way you’re communicating with clarity and without self-pity is phenomenal, inspirational and shows why you achieved what you did and will continue to do so.”

Swimming champ Becky Adlington said on Instagram: “Thinking of you and sending you lots of love and support x”

Cycling gold medallist Joanna Rowsell-Shand commented: “Incredibly strong words. Wishing you the very best x”

Reed is a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy
Twitter @PeteReed
Heroic Reed, fourth right, celebrated gold in Rio 2016 before retiring
News Group Newspapers Ltd
Reed was part of the victorious four boat at the 2012 Olympics in London
Jamie McPhilimey - The Sun

 

 

Reed added: “Spinal strokes are very rare.

“They essentially starve the spinal cord of oxygen which can kill off the cells that transmit the signals sent between the brain and (in my case) the lower body.

“Doctors can’t be certain what caused my stroke. It was in the middle of my spine so I’m currently paralysed beneath my chest.”

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