A British sports-loving mum has revealed how she was left needing a wheelchair to get out of bed after pregnancy exposed a rare heart defect – and now, she sounds like ‘Darth Vader.’
Georgia-Marie Brooks used to lead an active lifestyle, often playing rugby and in her former line of work as a personal trainer.
But all of that was taken away in an instant after her second pregnancy.
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Now, despite being on the road to recovery, she won’t ever be able to play sports again.
And has been left sounding like Star Wars’ major villain, Darth Vader.
“Sometimes, I’ll see videos on social media of people doing hardcore workouts and it does make me reminisce about my own training I used to do,” the nursery practitioner, from Cambridgeshire, told Need To Know.
“Life will never be how it was before.
“The first few months post-surgery was hard because I couldn’t move my body much.
“But, six months on, I’ve found the middle ground.
“Yes, I’m restricted, but I’ve gotten used to it.
“And although my rugby career is over, I still get to help out.
“I get to coach the under sixes rugby that my daughter is part of, so that’s lovely to see.
“I also still mingle with the rugby club and go to events where I can. “
During her first pregnancy, the 28-year-old experienced low blood pressure; though brushed this off after it rectified itself shortly after giving birth.
But when falling pregnant again in April 2024, the symptom reappeared – this time, with a vengeance.
She said: “He kept trying to make early appearances.
“And no matter what the hospital did, they couldn’t raise my blood pressure.
“Then, a few months later, I collapsed out-of-the-blue.
“It was found my heart was taking too long to build the energy to beat.
“After an ultrasound, my right valve was leaking, too.”
It wasn’t until February 2025 when Georgia-Marie had an MRI to further investigate what was going on that her situation became clear.
While a heart condition was found, it was only thought to be minor.
Until her breathing worsened, to the point where people said she sounded like “Darth Vader”.
She said: “Even walking at a normal pace made my breathing very heavy and loud.
“The doctors thought it was asthma, but then another test found compression in my throat.”
Over the next six months, Georgia-Marie had visited the hospital 10 times due to issues with her breathing.
Sadly, no answers were given.
Until October 2025 when she was put into resus after a simple chest infection took hold.
She said: “Doctors stated my condition was too specialised for them to treat.
“My breathing got worse, where I ended up in resus again.
“I could no longer breathe on my own or even get out of bed without a wheelchair.
“It felt daunting – and a little humiliating, too.
“I had to rely on nurses and assistants to help me get to the toilet without passing out.
“And I was on a ward full of elderly patients.
“I also had multiple crashes where I became unconscious and stopped breathing.
“It was scary.”
In January 2026, the mum was taken to a specialist hospital in London, who confirmed her throat was on the brink of full collapse.
And, it was all due to her heart.
She underwent open heart surgery to reattach her left subclavian artery to the carotid artery in her neck.
Surgeons also cut out her kommerell diverticulum – a pouch or swollen part of the aorta – as it had become enlarged; and was likely to rupture.
It was then confirmed to be an aberrant left subclavian, along with a right sided aortic arch; of which affects just 0.1% of people, according to Government research.
This means her heart, and the way in which blood passes through, isn’t wired correctly.
While thankful to have a diagnosis, another nightmare occurred.
Her laryngeal nerve was accidentally severed, leaving Georgia-Marie unable to speak.
Now, even though people question why her voice sounds the way it does, she’s on the road to recovery.
She’s just completed cardiac rehabilitation, as well as physiotherapy and will soon have speech and language therapy.
Georgia-Marie is also going back to the gym doing light walking in a bid to move her body again.
And while life isn’t the same as before, she’s thankful to have been given a second chance.
She added: “I still get twinges of pain here and there.
“And I do get a lot of stares from people with my scar.
“In terms of my voice, people ask: ‘Are you sick?’ or straight up ‘Why do you sound like that?’
“I have to explain what happend in simple form.
“I’m grateful to the staff who saved my life, though.
“I can now watch my children, Iliana and Bear, grow up.
“A few months ago, I wasn’t sure I’d get to do that.
“I have to take life a little easier, but I’m alive and breathing.
“That’s all that matters.”
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