Emilia Clarke, the talented and beloved star of Game of Thrones, is renowned for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen, the powerful “Mother of Dragons.” However, behind the scenes, Clarke faced a life-threatening battle after experiencing a type of stroke that is typically fatal. In her own words, she shares her story of survival and resilience.
In her essay for the New Yorker titled “The Battle of My Life,” Clarke reveals that she underwent two brain surgeries to overcome a devastating condition. At the age of 24, after wrapping filming for the first season of Game of Thrones, she experienced a sudden and excruciating pain in her head. She describes it as a “shooting, stabbing, constricting pain” that left her fearing for her life.
Rushed to the hospital, Clarke received a grim diagnosis: a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding in the space surrounding the brain. Statistics show that one-third of patients with this condition face immediate or near-immediate mortality. Clarke urgently needed emergency brain surgery to save her life.
The recovery process was far from easy. Clarke woke up from the surgery unable to remember her own name, experiencing a condition called aphasia that hindered her ability to communicate. She felt a sense of doom closing in and believed that her life was no longer worth living. However, as a determined actress, she quickly regained her strength and returned to filming the second season of Game of Thrones.
Despite the immense physical and emotional challenges she faced, Clarke put on a remarkable performance as Daenerys Targaryen. She hid her health struggles from the public eye, determined to continue doing what she loved. In 2013, she discovered that a smaller aneurysm on the other side of her brain had doubled in size. While confident about the second surgery, complications arose, and doctors had to perform a more extensive procedure to save her life.
The recovery from her second surgery was grueling, with excruciating pain and a visible physical toll. Clarke’s skull had to be partially replaced with titanium. Yet, through it all, she remained resilient and determined. In 2019, after years of silence, she decided to share her story, shining a light on the struggles she had faced and the strength that brought her through it.
Today, Emilia Clarke stands as an inspiration to all, proving that even in the face of tremendous adversity, we can emerge stronger than ever. Her organization, SameYou, offers support to those recovering from brain injuries. She has become an advocate for raising awareness about the effects of brain injury and empowering others to find their own strength.
Let us celebrate Emilia Clarke’s incredible journey and applaud her as the fiercely determined Mother of Dragons both on and off screen. Share this remarkable story and join the conversation about this exceptional actor who embodies resilience and courage!
