“Only the Good Die Young”: Worth Over $5,000,000 Famed Equestrian Reveals Circumstances After Genetic Condition Left Her ‘Medically Dead’

Few things can shake up a person more than a near-death experience. Such experiences often leave people dazed for life or give them new wings. The case of this veteran equestrian seems to be the latter. The 70-year-old equestrian and three-time Olympian suffered a spontaneous heart condition while she was competing on horseback. The sudden turn of events caused her to take fall from her horse right on the spot.

Seeing the veteran showjumper fall off her mount, the on-field doctors immediately came into action. None of them were trained in cardiology, but their overall medical skills spoke for themselves. After initial emergency procedures, the equestrian was rushed to the nearest hospital. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle.

Rise of the medically dead equestrian

Vicki Roycroft is a star showjumper and a three-time Olympian. She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest because of an underlying genetic defect that went undetected all her life. The defect did not give rise to any abnormalities or symptoms in Roycroft’s body. The defect had caused her aorta to burst. Before the ambulance could arrive, the doctors came to a shocking realization. Vicki Roycroft was medically dead.

The doctors detected no pulse from the equestrian, but they did not quit on her. They continuously administered CPR to Roycroft and prayed for a miracle to save her. Roycroft was operated on for seven hours at the hospital to patch her aorta back. The labor of the on-field doctors finally bore fruit when the equestrian was resurrected.

Speaking about her miraculous recovery, Roycroft playfully said to 9News, “only the good die young. I’m going to be around for a while.” While the doctors played a crucial role in giving a second life to their patient, Roycroft’s body also played a big part. One simply doesn’t go to the Olympics three times without developing a constitution of steel.

The miracle survivor reunites with her saviors

After receiving constant care at the hospital for about a month and ten weeks of home recovery, Roycroft is back in action. While one would like to take things slow, the veteran equestrian didn’t waste any time climbing back on her horse. As soon as she was on the back of her horse, she went to see the people who had given her a second shot at life. Doctors Mark Schembri and Stephen Ruff gracefully received their patient who beat all odds of survival. Both Ruff and Schembri admitted that they will forever remember Roycroft and her miraculous recovery.

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The three-time Olympian still carries the flame of the Olympic Torch within her heart as she has already decided to compete at the Royal Easter Show next year. Do you possess a similar never-say-die attitude like Vicki Roycroft?

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