Sport icon Dawn Fraser reveals the distressing amount of weight she's lost - and her chilling moment after horror fall: 'I didn't want to die that way'
Aussie sporting icon Dawn Fraser has revealed she lost 22kg following a fall on her driveway in December last year - and that she could have died following subsequent surgery.
Fraser, 87, is a national treasure after winning Olympic gold in the 100m freestyle at three successive Summer Games, between 1956 and 1964.
'The pain was excruciating,' she told News Corp when reflecting on the serious fall at her Noosa home on Queensland 's Sunshine Coast in December last year.
'I'd never felt pain like that before. I've never sort of fallen or broken anything in my life and it was a shock to me.'
And the cause of the fall? Fraser was trying to open a case of soft drink when she slipped on a small ledge and fell onto hard concrete.
Fraser's hospital X-rays were grim - they revealed a broken hip, four cracked ribs and potential internal bleeding.
Given her age, the anaesthetist then warned 'Dawny' she may not survive the operation.
'When the anaesthetist came in and said I could die, that was the frightening part,' Fraser recalled.
'I didn't want to die that way, so that put my will up to come through and come out of it.'
Thankfully, everything went according to plan - only for Fraser to then endure a heart scare weeks later.
Now fitted with a pacemaker, Fraser's heart is monitored 24 hours a day.
Acknowledging she has to slow down has been a battle.
She was on anti-depressants, but an old friend - swimming - has helped keep Fraser mentally strong.
Fraser also admitted the recent setbacks have resulted in one of the toughest periods of her life.
'This has been the biggest challenge, absolutely,' she said. 'It's not something I thought I'd (ever) have to face.
'But now it's there in front of me. Winning the gold medals was much easier. I feel so lucky I survived.'
In terms of attending the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, it remains to be seen if Fraser will be poolside.
She will be 95 - but you never write off a champion.
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