Michael Klim exclusive : 'LOVE WILL SAVE ME'

FAMILY GIVES THE OLYMPIAN REASON TO FIGHT ON

- Lizzie Wilson

When Aussie swimming champion Michael Klim learnt he had a crippling autoimmune disorder two years ago, he knew he was in for the fight of his life.

But according to his biggest fans, the three kids he shares with ex-wife Lindy – daughters Stella, 16, and Frankie, 11, and son Rocco, 14 – their superhero dad has got this!

“Each processed it differently – they know their dad is no quitter, and if anyone can beat this insidious disease, they know I’ll give it my everything,” Michael, 45, exclusively tells New Idea from his home in Bali.

It was 2020 when Michael would finally learn his fate, diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIDP. It’s a debilitating disease that sees the body attack the protective covering of its nerve fibres.

“It’s like the body is trying to protect itself, but it’s eating its own tissue,” he explains.

“From the get-go I knew there was no cure – as a parent, I didn’t want to hurt the kids emotionally, but I couldn’t continue hiding it from them anymore. I was constantly falling over, and it got to the stage where I couldn’t stand up,” Michael continues.

As a hands-on dad who loved to shoot hoops and surf with his kids, not being as active with them was the cruellest blow for Michael.