Imagine being one of the world’s most accomplished athletes, far away from home in a foreign country, suddenly struck by a mysterious illness so severe that you fear for your life. This was the harrowing reality for swimming superstar Katie Ledecky during the 2019 FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Ledecky’s illness was so severe that it forced her to withdraw from two events, causing a major media frenzy over her absence.

In her newly released memoir, Just Add Water: My Swimming Life, Ledecky opens up about her terrifying experience of being hospitalized overseas, surrounded by critically ill patients, and grappling with language barriers–a nightmare that would test her resilience like never before.

Katie Ledecky describes how she faced grappling pain, which started with her 400-meter freestyle race, where 18-year-old Ariarne Titmus from Australia edged her out. This marked her first defeat in that event at a major competition since 2013. Despite being the fastest qualifier for the 1500m final, Ledecky was forced to withdraw from the 1500m and 200m freestyle preliminaries, shocking fans worldwide.

Katie then went on to narrate her visit to the emergency room at Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwangju. The hospital was packed, and she had to wait for hours. Ledecky described her experience as overwhelming and stressful. The hospital staff admitted her, but the crowded conditions made it difficult to accommodate the influx of patients.

She felt out of place, likely being the youngest patient by at least ten years, and spent most of the afternoon seated in an office chair next to the team doctor who had accompanied her. As the only American patient, a translator was brought in to assist her. In her book, she penned, “We were all lined up along a wall maybe two feet from patients who seemed to be at death’s door.” The entire scene felt surreal and heightened her anxiety.

The combination of being in the emergency room, facing a language barrier, being in a remote location, and dealing with an unexplained illness caused her thoughts to “spiral.“ Ledecky opened up about the various narratives she even made up, causing her to freak out all the more. Reflecting on this ordeal, let’s discover how, despite her illness, she accomplished something truly astonishing.

Katie Ledecky’s proudest comeback

In her memoir, Katie Ledecky revealed that an ultrasound found fluid around her heart, indicating a virus that was shutting her body down. Three days later, after some rest and medication, Ledecky returned to compete in the finals of the 4x200m relay with Simone Manuel, Melanie Margalis, and Katie McLaughlin.

FUKUOKA, JAPAN – JULY 25: Katie Ledecky of Team United States celebrates winning the Women’s 1500m Freestyle Final on day three of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 25, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Despite her illness, the team set a new American record, finishing second to Australia. With only 36 hours to recover, Ledecky made a blazing comeback in the 800-meter freestyle final. Initially lagging, she overtook Italy’s Simona Quadarella in the last 50 meters to win by 1.41 seconds, securing her 15th World Championship title.

Reflecting on this resilient moment, Ledecky described it as one of her proudest achievements. Her coach, Greg Meehan, also shared at the time that it was probably the best racing he had ever seen her do. Katie Ledecky’s perseverance and dominance, despite challenges, set the tone for the upcoming Olympic trials and her journey to her fourth Olympics. What are your thoughts about this scary time in her life and her resilience? Share in the comments below!