Dawn Fraser: Scary warning doctors gave swimming legend’s family after horror fall
Dawn Fraser’s daughter has revealed doctors delivered a stark warning to the family after a horrifying fall put the Olympian in the ICU with multiple injuries.
The 87-year-old swimming legend was admitted to a Sunshine Coast hospital with a fractured hip, four broken ribs and cuts after a fall on the driveway of her Noosa home last week.
Fraser, who is considered one of Australia’s greatest sportspeople, was released from the ICU on Monday.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.On Wednesday her daughter, Dawn-Lorraine Fraser who has been by her bedside since the accident, provided an update on her mum’s health and revealed what caused Fraser to fall.
“Mum is doing so much better, she is typical mum. She is up walking and as you know was told to slow down, because she was walking too fast,” Ms Fraser told The Daily Telegraph.
“She has had a new hip, broken four ribs and has a gash in her left arm.”
Dawn-Lorraine said the whole experience had been scary.
“I thought we were going to lose her and I was told by the doctor that we were probably going to have to face that and I couldn’t face that,” she said.
“Because even though she’s my mum I’ve always thought of her as being invincible.”
Dawn-Lorraine said as she fell, Fraser gouged her hand when she put it out to protect her face and landed directly on her hip and ribs, shattering them.
Despite the injuries, Fraser managed to use a mobile phone that she had on her to call friends of the family to come and help.
Swimming Australia released a statement on Monday, with CEO Rob Woodhouse wishing Fraser a speedy recovery.
“We have heard back from the family and as we understand Dawn is stable,” Woodhouse said.
“Dawn is an Australian living treasure — an icon of our sport — and we wish her a speedy, healthy and fully recovery.”
Fraser won eight Olympic medals over her spectacular career and held the world record in the 100m freestyle for 15 years.
She was crowned World Athlete of the Century at the World Sports Awards in 1999 and also became the first female to be elevated to legend in the Australian Sport Hall of Fame.
