Paralympic Champ Alexa Leary Pushes for TBI Awareness Day

Every morning, Alexa Leary wakes up and reads notes she wrote to herself the night before, reminding her who she is and what she needs to do that day. It's one of many strategies the 24-year-old Paralympic champion uses to manage life after a traumatic brain injury wiped out five years of her memories.

July 17, 2021 changed everything. A cycling accident during triathlon training left the then-19-year-old unable to walk or talk, with severe damage to the left side of her brain. Doctors told her parents she would struggle with activities involving the right side of her body.

They suggested swimming as rehabilitation. Leary had other plans.

"I wanted more than just rehab," she told ABC Sport Daily. "I'd had a massive accident, so I wanted to go out there and do something good for myself."

Fast forward to Paris 2024, and Leary stood on the podium as a two-time gold medalist and world record holder in the 100m freestyle. The Australian public watched her sing and dance poolside, beaming with joy, but few understood the invisible battle happening behind the scenes.

"My emotions go insane," Leary explained. "I get sad, happy, angry, depressed in a day, in a second."

She works with a behavioral coach to manage emotional volatility that comes with her injury. Some mornings, she doesn't even recognize herself. The notes system helps her "get on board" with each day's agenda and keep her emotions from becoming overwhelming.

Music became Leary's lifeline. While the injury damaged much of her brain, her love of music actually intensified. Even when she couldn't speak, she knew every word to every song.

At the Paris Games, Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" became her victory soundtrack. "I literally had a little stage and I had to get up and sing, 'la la la,'" she laughed. "I was fully enjoying it and I didn't even care about the medal."

Why This Inspires

Leary's openness about her struggles is creating waves far beyond the pool. She's met numerous people living with TBI who say her story gives them hope. In Australia, one in 45 people live with an acquired brain injury, yet there's no dedicated awareness day for TBI specifically.

Now Leary is channeling the same determination that helped her relearn to walk and talk into a new fight. She wants July 17 recognized as Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Day.

"I will fight for it because I feel like we need to be recognized and known because we all struggle with TBI and it's really hard," she said. Her new book, "Sink or Swim," documents the journey, and she's even released several songs.

While training is now "locked down" for the Los Angeles Paralympics and potentially a home Games in Brisbane, Leary remains focused on her advocacy work. She's living proof that the "old Lex" may be gone, but the new one is pretty remarkable too.