After failing to qualify for the Olympics, Stefan Reichmuth retired from global wrestling in May. Since then, the Lucerne native has been experiencing anxious moments. In "Blick" he talks about his tale of woe.
As a top athlete, Stefan Reichmuth is used to health setbacks. In the two years alone before his retirement from international wrestling in spring, he was out injured for 17 months. But what the 2019 World Championship bronze medal winner has had to go through in recent months is nothing like that.
It all started when the wrestler from Willisau was admitted to hospital just over two months ago with a suspected stroke. Once there, he thought: "I have to die", as he tells Blick. The doctors diagnosed severe meningitis, which had triggered an epileptic seizure.
Epileptic seizures
After four days, much earlier than usual, the Lucerne native, who turns 30 on Friday, was able to leave hospital again. Reichmuth says he has his past as a top athlete to thank for his speedy recovery. "The fact that I'm so fit may have protected me from long-term damage."
But Reichmuth was not spared relapses. He suffered a second epileptic seizure and had to go to hospital twice more. Thanks to appropriate medication, he was spared further seizures.
Illness determines weekly schedule
"Things are slowly improving," says Reichmuth in the interview, even though his quality of life is still very limited. His brain is often overwhelmed in everyday life. Prolonged conversations or noise really affect him. He is also not yet physically up to scratch. His ability to cope with stress is limited, and he also has problems with his vision. "The illness determines my weekly schedule."
However, those around him help him "to overcome any further setbacks". He is still employed by the military as a regular soldier until the end of the year. At the beginning of 2025, Reichmuth will take over a bike store in Willisau together with a colleague. He says: "The new challenge motivates me to get healthy again as quickly as possible."
