Four-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Fraser is currently recovering in the hospital after experiencing fractures in four ribs and a broken hip.

The beloved Australian swimmer’s family has voiced their concerns regarding the 87-year-old’s health after she fell in her Queensland driveway.

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Fraser was admitted to a Sunshine Coast hospital last Wednesday, where she underwent emergency hip replacement surgery the following day.

Recovering from a recent eye operation, she stumbled on the edge of a newly renovated driveway, resulting in a severe fall that also caused a cut on her arm.

Dawn-Lorraine, Fraser’s daughter, informed the media on Wednesday that her mother is “making significant progress” but is “not out of danger yet.”

She shared, “It’s been quite alarming. I dreaded the thought of losing her when the doctor told us that was a possibility, which was unbearable.”

“Even though she’s my mother, I have always regarded her as invincible.”

“True to her nature, she is already up and walking, despite being advised to take it easy because she’s walking too much and too fast.”

Dawn-Lorraine mentioned that she received a concerning call from the hospital on the day of the surgery, asking if she wanted the doctors to attempt resuscitation should complications arise during the procedure.

“I was shocked they asked me this, considering who my mother is,” she remarked.

“That was an incredibly intimidating question to receive out of the blue, and I insisted, ‘Of course you will resuscitate her; my mother is a fighter, and I expect you to do everything possible to save her’.”

Fraser is celebrated as one of Australia’s finest athletes, having secured eight Olympic medals, including four golds in the 100m freestyle event across three different Olympics from 1956 to 1964.

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson enjoys the atmosphere with Manchester United fans at Old Trafford

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In 1956, she became the symbol of the Melbourne Games, clinching her first gold medals in both the 100m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle events.

Throughout her remarkable career, she broke 27 world records.

Fraser was named Australian of the Year in 1964 and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985, later becoming the first woman to gain ‘legend’ status in 1993.

Just three weeks before her accident, she made a rare public appearance at a Hall of Fame Gala Dinner at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.

She also attended the Paris Olympics in July, where she cheered for her goddaughter Lani Pallister, who was part of Australia’s gold medal-winning women’s 4x200m relay team.

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Fraser was filled with joy for Pallister in the stands, especially after Pallister had to withdraw from the earlier 1500m freestyle heats due to a positive Covid test.

Pallister expressed her concern upon hearing about Fraser’s fall, stating, “Hearing about her fall has been incredibly stressful and frightening due to our close bond. We are grateful to know she is recovering and getting the necessary care from her family and medical professionals.”

Fraser also received the honor of being named World Athlete of the Century at the World Sports Awards in 1999.

In 2018, she was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding contributions to sport as an ambassador and mentor, holding various non-executive roles across multiple organizations.

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