well five months ago champion triathlete alexa leary was almost killed in a horror training accident now alexa's defying the odds and has given her proud parents a christmas present they'll never forget we definitely thought it would be well into next year before she'll be home and we were told then it'll be a year at least so we rented a unit in brisbane for a year and thought we're having christmas day in brisbane decorating the family christmas tree together is no longer a task taken for granted in the leary household there we go you turn around turn around [Music] with her big beaming smile it's easy to forget this was alexa just five months ago she's so happy i mean to think what she's been through it expected her to be depressed and all that but she's not you know she never used to kiss dad but now she kisses him big kisses in july the champion triathlete was out for a training bike ride when she clipped the wheel in front of her she hit the road at 70 kilometers an hour i know that when i had the accident it was a big one and i was coming down a hill and it was a huge accident like it was pretty big lex was in a critical condition with severe head injuries she was airlifted from noosa to brisbane where she went straight into surgery parents belinda and russell rushed to her side it's horrible because she'd walk out of there going we're going to come back tomorrow and she's going to be alive what's going on she spent a week on life support when she first woke she could barely open her eyes but slowly that fighting lex spirit started to shine through she had to learn to do everything again these golden steps captured just seven weeks after the accident you keep asking me lex when we last caught up with lex she was still in hospital in a wheelchair re-learning how to move her arm you couldn't do that a week ago yeah true her parents were still struggling to come to terms with what had happened to their ultra-fit daughter they took us to that dark room you know they said she her you know her physical life from here on him will not be the same but just look at her now it's hard to believe five months ago doctors told the leary family alexa may never walk or talk again but here she is back in the pool and her parents say it's impossible to keep her still what is it like watching her get back to swimming oh just amazing i mean swimming was a forte in triathlon she was swimming was her best leg by a long way back at her local pool in noosa doing laps like she's never left under the watchful eye of trainers like kiro romalo she swam for the first time she was faster than even the coach berlin i said wow really surprising how good in the world she is how has she improved since being back every week is unbelievable we started with three four hundred meters now she wanna go fairly further now 601k it's all part of her rehabilitation she's also doing three days a week at the local private hospital strengthening her weakened arm and working on coordination but more importantly it's also testing her mind a challenge at rehab and at home made my own breakfast by myself what did you spread your toast with peanut butter and a spoon it was an accident having a spoon but it was fine she's got a long way to go but she's doing a great job when the accident first happened the leary family started move for lex a social media campaign to motivate people to move for those who couldn't and it took off yeah it's like famous it's kind of scary like it's really taken off and it's oh this it's just amazing now with more than 130 000 followers there's hats and shirts and it's raised just as much for the royal brisbane hospital it's just amazing to think you know we sat in that hospital working out what they needed and to support the hospital to think now there's alexa's raised 150 000 lex is now adjusting to her new normal back at home slowly getting back into the things she loves like instructing at her local gym i love it and now i'm working there again but while she's swimming and running there's one discipline she's still steering clear of do you think you'll get back on a bike anytime soon no nope no it just no it just kind of scares me thinking about my accident and it's not good but with time lex is proving anything is possible and it's thanks to the motivation of thousands thank you for moving for me [Music] it is a miracle you are big aren't you best christmas present ever hey yeah pretty good [Music] what an amazing woman she is and you can find more details on the move for lex campaign on our website you