By Steve DelVecchio
If you have any idea what Marc Leishman has dealt with in his personal life over the past three months, you are probably rooting for him to win the 2015 British Open.
On March 31, Leishman’s wife Audrey admitted herself to urgent care to be treated for what she believed was a flu virus. Her condition was much more serious than that, as Audrey was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome and toxic shock syndrome.
Leishman, who was practicing for the Masters in Augusta at the time, flew back to be with his wife. Shortly after he arrived, Audrey was placed in an induced coma. Doctors gave her a five percent chance of living.
“It wasn’t looking good for her survival. It was shattering,” Marc Leishman told ABC News back in April. “The toxic shock syndrome started shutting down all of her organs. We were told her chances of survival was at five per cent. The only thing in our favour was she was fit, goes to the gym all the time, is young and has two young kids and a real will to live. Thankfully in the end, that’s what got her through.”
Marc and Audrey have two young boys, and Marc later revealed that he was worried his children would have to grow up without knowing their mother.
“I was going crazy inside, not a whole lot of good things happened in that time,” he said. “I was trying to stay strong for everyone else but I couldn’t eat, I lost 10 pounds in four days, I wasn’t sleeping.”
Doctors were able to help with the fluid in Audrey’s lungs by flipping her on her stomach while she remained in a coma. She regained consciousness four days later and slowly started to improve. She basically had to learn to walk again, but she is expected to make a full recovery.
“I am just really grateful to still be here,” Audrey said. “I really appreciate the strength I have and my health and I appreciate every kiss and cuddle I can give my kids, every boo boo I can kiss away, every tussle of their hair. I appreciate everything.”
The 31-year-old Australian at one point held the lead by himself down the stretch at the British Open on Monday and is heading into a playoff. It would be a truly remarkable story if he captured his first ever major victory just months after nearly losing his wife.
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