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A 26-year-old model was suddenly left paralyzed after losing consciousness while out with her friends.
Amelia Keam was having a good time at The Hamilton Station Hotel in Newcastle, Sydney, on March 22 when she suddenly felt dizzy, lost consciousness, and collapsed.
Without warning, she went into cardiac arrest.
Fortunately, two off-duty Australian Defence Force members nearby rushed to help and performed life-saving CPR until paramedics arrived.
Even though Amelia’s heart had stopped, she was revived at the scene and quickly taken to John Hunter Hospital. There, doctors placed her in an induced coma to stabilize her condition.
The cause was a stroke that cut off blood flow to the area where the brainstem connects to the spinal cord, which controls motor reflexes.
The damage left Amelia paralyzed from the neck down, completely reliant on a ventilator to breathe.
Her father, Stephen Keam, is still in shock. “How does this happen to a 26-year-old female who goes to the gym every single day?” he asked, holding back tears in an interview with 7NEWS.com.au.
Amelia, known as “Amy” to her friends and family, had everything going for her. She was a psychology graduate, worked as a support coordinator in a mental health facility, and was passionate about helping others.
“She’s really active—she loves being outdoors, hiking, going to the gym, and doing different sports,” shared her best friend, Chloe Gillette.
Amelia was also working part-time as a model and planning to pursue a master’s degree in psychology. Gillette, who has known her for 16 years, described her as “a really beautiful soul” with “a very different sense of humor, but you’d always have a good laugh with her.”
Stephen, Amelia’s father, spoke of her with equal love: “She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever known, inside and out.”
“I was, and still am, incredibly proud of her,” he said. “Even though she can’t move at all, she lies there, unable to swallow, breathe, or speak. Yet, she remains perfectly polite to everyone who comes near her. She says ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ and it’s just phenomenal.”
“She smiles, she’s still cracking jokes. She can’t move. She’s a complete quadriplegic… she’s making everybody else laugh around her. She’s been very, very strong.
“I don’t know how she’s not angry at the world.”
Now fully conscious, Amelia is aware of her condition, but, as her friend Chloe explains, that awareness brings added pain.
“She’s quite aware of what’s happening, which I don’t know, kind of makes it worse in some ways,” Gillette said.
Amelia’s support system has remained strong. Along with her father and sister, Chloe and five other close friends have been rotating visits at John Hunter Hospital before she was recently transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital.
At one point, Stephen mentioned that doctors discussed the possibility of euthanasia, but they later realized Amelia had a chance to recover with long-term, intensive rehabilitation.
However, the road ahead is far from easy. Every small task — from breathing to blinking — now requires assistance. Amelia’s recovery needs a comprehensive team of specialists, including neurologists, physiotherapists, physicians, nurses, and social workers.
Stephen is now trying to move from Mackay in Queensland to Newcastle to be closer to his daughter during her long hospital stay.
“We have no clue how long it’s going to be, but… she won’t be coming out of hospital for a very, very long time,” he said.
To help ease the burden of growing medical bills and living expenses, Gillette set up a GoFundMe for Amelia.
“We are reaching out to you today to ask for your support as Amelia navigates this extremely difficult chapter in her life,” she wrote.
“Spinal rehabilitation is critical to helping Amelia regain as much function as possible after her spinal injury.
“Early intervention is essential to prevent further complications and reduce the length of her hospitalization.
“She is facing mounting medical expenses, including treatments, therapies, and daily living costs, which are adding up quickly.
“Amelia’s road to recovery may be long, but with your help, we remain hopeful.”
