Terry Mitropolous Defies the Odds

24/05/2019

‘Defying the odds’ is a phrase used to admire the extraordinary feats people overcome where the weight of chance is not in their favour. But miracles are entirely different.

The odds of favourable outcomes are almost inconceivably impossible or negligible, which is what makes miracles, just that, miracles.

In all probabilities, Terry Mitropoulos should be dead, but isn’t! 

Terry is Australia’s own miracle story. His story perverts what we see as defying the odds, transgressing into a realm we can hardly imagine anyone could go through.

His plight redefines human endeavour and inspires in us the notion that hope and faith are powerful mindsets - greater than we have ever known them to be.

The 2016 F.O.T.Y. proved medical experts wrong. In 2010, Terry developed a brain tumour, where his first brain operation became one of 13. His tumour, was the beginning of his fight to stay alive.

Hospitalised and in rehabilitation for four years, Terry’s fight became a herculean battle.  Whilst in hospital, he contracted a superbug where doctors gave him a 5% chance of living. Terry was on 72 different types of medication in various combinations but the antibiotics failed. What would kill the bug, was medication not available in Australia.

The compounding effects of Terry’s surgeries, the superbug causing a blockage in his spinal cord, spinal surgery to allow his spinal fluid to circulate, a mechanical valve in his brain and two shunts to drain fluid, caused Terry’s body to suffer a major stroke. 

Terry Mitropoulos, was given a drug from overseas - it killed the superbug but destroyed his nervous system. It caused Terry to become a paraplegic.

Doctors told Terry he would never walk again. He also lost his sight and hearing – he was a paraplegic that faced not only the news he would ever walk again but see or hear.
 
But Terry proved miracles do happen.

Paraplegics almost never or do not ever walk again, nor do people who lose their sight and hearing ever regain their auditory or visual senses. But Terry isn’t just anybody. He showed mental resilience and strength of determination creates amazing paradigm shifts.

He now walks but has no awareness of his lower body – Terry says he walks with his eyes. He has regained his sight but endures peripheral damage and double vision and remains deaf in one ear. Terry has his life back, his independence and is no longer reliant on others to live. 
 
Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Terry has endured challenges most of us couldn’t, as cliche as that sounds, the cliche is a reality. He has stared down death, risen out of a wheelchair, refused to accept paraplegia, fought blindness and deafness, won and has shown beating the impossible is possible.

Now Terry wants to take on another challenge, a mere hurdle compared to what he has overcome. 
Terry is preparing to walk from Adelaide to Melbourne to raise awareness for mental health because just as it was the medical and physical challenges he endured, it was the mental health challenges where he fought depression to strengthen his road to recovery that counted the most.

The need to overcome any challenge Terry says is to have mental resilience that enables you to endure the fight. He wants to raise awareness of the importance of how working together anything can be achieved.

The time has come to get behind Terry - Australia’s miracle man, and support his walk from Adelaide to Melbourne in 2019, where it is anticipated he will arrive at the MCG on Grand Final Day. 


You can support him on his journey by donating below:

Donate Here

 

Back to Newsroom