I had a stroke at 19 and was left paralyzed and partially deaf,
Sophia Gedgaudas was just 19 years old when she suffered a life-changing stroke and was given a 15 percent chance of survival.
In 2019, Gedgaudas had moved from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to San Francisco to become a pilot with dreams of also joining an NFL team as a cheerleader.
However, on February 5, two days after the Super Bowl, Gedgaudas and her family were at her home when she suffered a stroke.
According to Gedgaudas’s mother Lily, her parents found her laying on the ground completely paralyzed with her mouth drooping.
Gedgaudas told DailyMail.com: ‘My entire family had flown in to watch the game and spend the week together.’
The aspiring pilot was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors told her that she had suffered a stroke due to extremely high cholesterol from a hereditary condition known as high lipoprotein (a).
Lipoproteins are protein molecules that transport fat in the body, including cholesterol and triglycerides. Elevated levels of these can pose a risk to cardiovascular health.
High Lipoprotein (a) is a genetic condition that creates a new form of cholesterol in the body that is similar to LDL (bad) cholesterol but has an additional protein.
This new kind of cholesterol causes a buildup of plaque in arteries, triggering inflammation and increased blood clotting, ultimately hindering blood flow to the heart.
As a result, people with this condition have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes – even if they take precautionary measures such as eating health and not smoking.
About one in five Americans, or around 64 million people, suffer from high lipoprotein(a).
In Gedgaudas’s case, her condition created a blood clot in her brain that resulted in a stroke.
According to the CDC, about 800,000 Americans experience a stroke each year while an estimated 138,000 Americans die from it.
While usually associated with older populations, recent data indicates a concerning increase in stroke rates among individuals aged between 18 and 44.
About 120,000 Americans under the age of 50 and 1.5 million young adults worldwide suffer a stroke each year.
Sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, substance abuse (including smoking and excessive alcohol consumption), and stress are increasingly recognized as major contributors to stroke in young adults.
She told the website: ‘It was a complete shock. I’ve been an athlete my entire life—a state champion gymnast, a black belt in karate, and a competitive dancer and cheerleader. No one ever expected someone like me to have high cholesterol.
‘But because of my genetics, my lipoprotein(a) level raised my cholesterol to dangerous levels and that’s ultimately what caused my stroke.
‘At the time, I was completely paralyzed and could only respond with one word: “yeah.” That’s all I could say.’
Gedgaudas’s doctors initially prescribed her a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) – a medication used to treat heart attacks by dissolving blood clots.
However, due to the large size of the clot, the medication failed to work and she was forced to undergo a thrombectomy, a procedure where doctors insert a catheter into an artery through the groin to remove the clot.
But while doctors were able to successfully remove the life-threatening clot, she was left partially deaf as the stroke damaged parts of her brain responsible for hearing.
The intensive surgery combined with the paralysis she suffered left Gedgaudas struggling to recover for three years, relearning how to walk, talk, eat and read.
During this time, she watched numerous wrestling matches and decided she wanted to pursue the sport rather than becoming a pilot and cheerleader.
The now 25-year-old said: ‘My dad would sit with me in the ICU and put wrestling on the TV. My mom says the first time I smiled after the stroke was while watching wrestling.
‘Later, my brother took me to a live show, and after we left, I said, “That’s what I’m going to do.”
‘There were days I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was angry, I was depressed. But watching wrestling made me believe I could do something again. It gave me hope and purpose.’
Once being given the green light by her entire medical team in 2022, she began training to be a professional wrestler.
In 2023, she made her debut and quickly became a standout.
Now, Gedgaudas is the reigning women’s champion at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in Louisville, Kentucky – where wrestling legends John Cena, Dave Batista, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton started their road to stardom.
She told DailyMail.com: ‘Being part of OVW means everything to me. There’s so much history here and amazing wrestlers that have come through, and I want to be one of the names. I want to show people a disability shouldn’t stop anyone from reaching the top.’
Gedgaudas continued: ‘For a long time, I was embarrassed that I was partially deaf. I saw it as a weakness and didn’t want anyone to think I was limited. But over time, I realized it’s just part of who I am – and there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
‘Now, I embrace it. I’ve learned to adapt in ways that work for me. I’ve gotten good at reading lips, and in the ring, I naturally turn my good ear toward the sound so I can hear what I need to. Most importantly, I stay super focused.
‘By staying locked in, I’m able to catch cues and respond without missing a beat. It’s not always easy, but I’ve found ways to make it work – and even turn it into a strength.
‘I have to read matches differently, and I rely on instincts and body language. It forces me to be completely in the moment, and I think it makes me a better performer.’
To stay healthy and prevent another stroke, Gedgaudas workouts and follows a special diet comprised of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins including chicken and fish.
For the future, Gedgaudas has global ambitions and hopes to one day wrestle internationally. But for now, her mission is personal.
‘I want to wrestle in the UK, Japan, anywhere. But more than that, I want to keep helping people.
‘That’s why I do this. Wrestling saved my life, and now I want to help someone else believe they can fight through whatever they’re facing.
