In the Blink of an Eye: The Story of Mia Austin and Her Triumph over Locked-In Syndrome

Product Information

At the start, I didn’t really know how to handle it but I feel like now I am taking it on as a challenge and just trusting what I’ve worked on,” she said.

A week after opening her eyes, Mia was diagnosed with ‘Locked-in Syndrome’, a condition where Mia has been left her trapped in her own body, unable to speak. During her time on the sidelines, Austin was able to tap into the knowledge of the experienced Carlton forward line, with Jess Dal Pos, Brea Moody, Phoebe McWilliams and Darcy Vescio being the sounding boards for the 19-year-old.

The 30-year-old, from Bebington, Wirral, was only able to communicate by using a computer tracking her eye movements, and could swallow but only ate soft food, reports North Wales Live. While Mia can see, hear, and think as normal, she cannot move from the neck down and has to be fed through a tube. She had become well known in the region for her charity work after suffering the stroke a decade ago. Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death after the tragedy in June while the family were on holiday in Abersoch, North Wales. She was not only inspirational with her positive attitude after what she has been through, but she was a kind person and would put others before herself.

Mrs Austin told the inquest at Caernarfon that, after her daughter's stroke, she was fed a liquid diet but had progressed to eating soft food over the years. The hearing in Caernarfon heard Mia had initially been fed on a liquid only diet before being able to eat soft foods. After suffering a stroke at 21 leaving her with Locked-in Syndrome, Mia wrote a book, travelled, and inspired everyone who was lucky enough to meet her.At the age of 21, Mia was working as a Travel Agent and a regular at the gym living the life of a typical 21-year-old.

Her time as a Blue - although hampered by her injury - has been impactful for her forward counterparts as well, with Darcy Vescio speaking highly of Austin as a player, teammate and person. Although Austin’s education in the forward line has been enhanced by her experienced teammates, the young spearhead has seen her time under forwards coach Christina Polatajko as impactful, both as a player and as a person. That’s what she wanted to do with two friends,” Carol Austin, Ms Austin’s mother, told the inquest, BBC News reported. At the start, I didn’t really know how to handle it but I feel like now I am taking it on as a challenge and just trusting what I’ve worked on,” Austin said.The hearing was told Mia had been fit and healthy before suffering her stroke and had subsequently learned to communicate through a spell chart and a computer. Austin has worked with Polatajko to utilise 'her weapons' but also to lean on her teammates up forward to support, which she has seen as a major benefit to her game as a whole. Mia has touched the lives of thousands of people and the World is worse off for not having her in it.