Wally Lewis has revealed he is likely suffering from a degenerative brain disorder after years of repeated blows to the head during his legendary rugby league career.
The King, 63, remains physically fit but his brain is failing him and doctors are 90 per cent sure he has developed Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
The horror condition is a progressive and fatal form of dementia caused by multiple concussions.
It is becoming increasingly common in retired contact sports athletes across the globe and results in memory loss, behavioural issues and deterioration of basic cognitive skills.
But there is still little known about CTE and it cannot be officially diagnosed until after a person has died and an autopsy of the brain has been performed.
The father-of-three’s girlfriend Linda Adams said she knew something was wrong when he started repeating the same stories over and over again.
‘I remember, Wally would pick me up and talk to me about something as we’re driving along,’ Ms Adams told 60 Minutes.
Wally Lewis has revealed he is likely suffering from a degenerative brain disorder after years of repeated blows to the head during his legendary rugby league career
‘About three minutes later he would say ‘Ah!’ as if he had never told me and then would tell me the same story.
‘I said ‘okay’ and then about three to five minutes later told me the same story. Those sort of things stood out the most. The repetitive stories.’
The couple got together after Lewis and his wife Jacqui separated in 2021, after 36 years. Ms Adams has been by his side during the entire devastating ordeal.
Lewis’ diagnosis was later all-but confirmed by his doctor Rowena Mobb, after she performed a simple memory test.
‘One of my first meetings with the doctor, she asked me to repeat simple things. I think it might have been five things and it might have been something like bus, dog, truck, camera, chair,’ Lewis said.
‘She went to them two or three times, she asked me how I was feeling. A minute later she said what are the things I asked you to remember and I got two of them.
‘Some time later she said do you remember what they were and I think I said bus.’
The diagnosis comes as a shock to his fans and football fanatics alike, who still follow Lewis’ work as a beloved sports commentator and media personality.
In a playing career that spanned three decades, Lewis cemented his reputation in the brutal sport and was named an Immortal – the code’s greatest honour.
Wally Lewis is pictured with his three children (left, Lincoln Lewis, second left, water polo star Jamie-Lee Lewis and right, Mitchell Lewis) and former partner Jacqui
Wally Lewis (left) revealed he has been diagnosed with probable Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. His girlfriend Linda Adams (right) said she knew something was wrong when the footy legend repeated the same story three times in less than 10 minutes
He captained Australia and inspired Queensland – winning a record eight man of the match awards during his State of Origin career.
He later became a sports commentator and in 2006 suffered an epileptic seizure while reading the sports bulletin during a live broadcast for 9News. In 2007 surgeons removed a part of his brain to help control the seizures.
However, leading neurologist Dr Mobbs said the deterioration of Lewis’ brain is evident when comparing his scans to that of a healthy brain.
‘He had the most exquisite coordination I have seen in anybody, but when I got to testing his brain, not so, he doesn’t even come up to normal,’ Dr Mobbs said.
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‘There are fluid-filled spaces cross Wally’s brain rather than packed with that brain tissue itself, we’d like to see it much fuller.
‘We know that there is a gradual shrinkage of the brain… and that raises a suspicion for CTE.’
The deterioration of Lewis’ brain is evident when comparing his scans to that of a healthy brain (pictured)
Ms Adams has been by his side during the entire devastating ordeal
Lewis said athletes have the belief they must prove how tough they are by playing through injuries.
But he now believes there is strength in asking for help and recognising something is wrong.
‘For a lot of sports guys, I think most of us take on this belief that we’ve got to prove how tough we are … how rugged,’ Lewis said.
‘But we’ve got to take it on and admit that the problems are there.’
Lewis added he keeps a meticulously detailed diary, which he calls his ‘best friend’, to help him navigate each day.
‘I do rely upon this, I actually call it my best friend, I carry it around everywhere,’ Lewis said.
‘People wonder why I’m carrying a diary around with me and I tell them I don’t want to miss things.’
CTE is a progressive and fatal form of dementia caused by repeated blows to the head. The diagnosis comes a shock to his fans and football fanatics alike (Patrick Carrigan of the Maroons with Wally Lewis during Game 3 of the 2023 State of Origin)
When asked if he would go ‘as hard’ if he could relive his football career, Lewis offered up a surprising answer.
‘Would I change a thing? No, I wouldn’t,’ Lewis said.
‘I loved the game that I played. I felt privileged to have played it and to have been given that chance.’
Lewis has made the decision to donate his brain to science for research and hopes sharing his story will create more awareness of CTE and its affects.
The Wally Lewis statue is seen outside Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia
