Paralympic athlete suffers seizure during live TV interview
Puerto Rican Paralympic athlete Melanie Valdés Reyes suffered an epileptic seizure during a live morning TV interview, then shared the footage to raise awareness about the condition.
A routine interview on a morning television program in Puerto Rico suddenly turned into a firsthand account of Paralympic athlete Melanie Valdés Reyes' daily struggle with epilepsy.
During the live broadcast, Valdés Reyes suffered a seizure. After recovering, she chose to share the footage herself in an effort to raise awareness of the condition.
Valdés Reyes, known by the nickname "La Chica de las Alas" ("The Girl with Wings"), appeared last week on the morning program "NotiCentro al Amanecer" on WAPA, where she spoke with hosts Yizette Cifredo and Jorge Gelpi. During the interview, she suddenly experienced an epileptic seizure.
After recovering, Valdés Reyes was able to continue with the interview and later posted the footage on her Instagram account. She said that although it is difficult for her to watch herself during such moments, she decided to show her followers the reality of what she lives with.
"It is very difficult for me to see myself like this. I want to share this small part of my life with you, so that you can see and understand a little more about this condition," she wrote. She added that she is feeling well and thanked the program's staff for allowing her to continue telling her story.
Valdés Reyes, who lives in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, takes part in races and marathons using her regular wheelchair. She has already competed in events ranging from 5 to 42 kilometers, including 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon distances.