Emilia Clarke, known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, is not just a fierce and determined character on screen. In real life, she has shown the same courage and determination by surviving two brain aneurysms and bravely battling life-threatening situations.
In 2011, Emilia’s career was on the rise as the first season of Game of Thrones concluded. Little did she know that a devastating ordeal awaited her. One day, while at the gym in North London, she was struck by an excruciating headache. Despite feeling like her brain was being squeezed, she tried to push through. Thankfully, her trainer insisted she take a break. Shortly after, she became violently ill, realizing something serious was wrong.
Following a brain scan, Emilia received a heartbreaking diagnosis: she had suffered from a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a type of stroke caused by bleeding around the brain. The culprit was an aneurysm. Shockingly, one in three people with this condition do not survive, making urgent treatment imperative. Emilia underwent a grueling three-hour surgery to save her life, but her battle was far from over.
Just two years later, in 2013, disaster struck again. The surgery to address a second brain aneurysm did not go as planned. Emilia woke up in excruciating pain, discovering that a massive bleed had occurred, leaving her with minimal chances of survival without immediate intervention. A second operation was necessary, requiring her skull to be opened. The recovery process was even more painful than before.
Remarkably, Emilia’s resilience shines through all of these hardships. Despite losing a significant portion of her brain function, she leads a normal life with no visible consequences from the surgeries. Her ability to speak and her remarkable strength are truly astounding. We are grateful that Emilia survived these life-threatening ordeals, and we continue to hope for her ongoing strength and well-being.
