Viewers were left shocked when Grant Denyer collapsed and started convulsing multiple times during episode two of The Amazing Race Australia, before having an ambulance called.
While the finishing credits shared that Grant had “made a full recovery” after the show, during an interview with Chattr, the Gold Logie winner revealed that it was a long road to get there.
“For a good seven weeks or so afterwards, I was pretty much completely bedridden,” Grant said.
“It sparked a chronic fatigue style immune response. We’ve had a lot of medical appointments and been trying to get him better and, thankfully, he’s back to normal now,” his wife Chezzi Denyer added.
“It was really difficult and not being able to talk about it also compounded the whole feeling.”
Grant said that they were worried that the collapse had ignited a condition that was irreparable.
“We didn’t know if it was permanent damage. But, we worked through with a number of specialists to find the causes and then worked on them. I’m up and about now, back to 100%.”
Grant Denyer thinks his severe mould allergy sparked the collapse
While Grant’s collapse looked to be heat-related on The Amazing Race Australia, he said that his mould allergy also likely played a big part.
“I’m highly allergic to mould,” he said. “The cow poo challenge was right before it. There was a lot of mould probably sitting in that ton of cow poo, which was baking in the sun.”
“So, I wonder potentially whether the mould exposure paired together with the heat combined to create this perfect storm which knocked me out.”
Chezzi revealed that Grant struggled with some severe ongoing health complications after the collapse.
“We took him to see an integrative doctor and she treated him for the mould exposure, and also tried to correct his immune response. It’s called Heatstroke fatigue.
“For a little while, after we got back, he couldn’t handle bright light and couldn’t handle extreme temperatures. He had to be a certain temperature the whole time, he was almost like a Dracula character,” she said.
How did Grant Denyer feel before he collapsed?
Grant said that apart from feeling like he wasn’t “enjoying himself” he didn’t really notice many symptoms before his health quickly deteriorated.
“I had no idea it was coming,” he said. “I dropped to the deck and started convulsing and dropping in and out of consciousness.”
“It took a long time to stabilize my vitals and I remember them sort of shaking me and slapping me and saying, ‘stay with me, stay with me’. I was dropping in and out of consciousness.
“It was very clear very early on that it was extremely serious.”
Chezzi stressed just how critical Grant’s health issues were.
“It could have been could have been fatal. There was 100 people who died in India in those three days during that Heatwave, even around the area that we were racing, so it’s extremely serious. And we’re very fortunate that he’s still here.”
The Amazing Race Australia airs on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights on Channel 10 & 10Play at 7.30pm.
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