Michelle Turner

Feb 28, 2023
5 Min read
Recovery Stories

Former RAF sergeant Michelle Turner, served for 21 years and first competed in the Invictus Games Toronto 2017. She went on to become Team UK's vice captain for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 participating in swimming, indoor rowing and powerlifting.

Michelle has a heart condition that developed while on deployment. A nasty bug left her with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) which means that her heart fires up randomly, causing her to regularly collapse without warning.

On one occasion, her four year old daughter saved her life by dialling 999 when she collapsed at home. Through fear of falling and injuring herself in public, she had confined herself to her home.

From her hospital bed after 50 collapses, her husband encouraged her to apply to Team UK. The training camps enabled her to reconnect with her military family, and find a new sport in swimming. Taking on the vice-captaincy role in Sydney meant she could help others.

Michelle's competitive journey with the Games helped her to achieve her goal of making her daughter proud. She has since supported other WIS as they embark on their Games journey and she continues to serve by volunteering with the Invictus Games Foundation in activities beyond the Games.

I have a little girl who saved my life by dialling 999, and I want to be a role model for her - not of a mum who stays at home and is scared - but of somebody that never gives up."

Michelle Turner

Invictus Games Sydney 2018 - Competitor and Vice Captain of Team UK

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