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'She’s not done fighting': Local Paralympian in critical condition

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Windsor, Ont. -

Danielle Campo-McLeod, 36, a two-time Paralympic athlete, is on life-support in Windsor Regional Hospital because of complications from childbirth.  

“During the C-section, something happened,” says her mother Colleen Campo.

“We’re not sure but she ended up with a bowel obstruction.”

That was back in mid-August, after Danielle gave birth to her third child, and her first daughter.

“She (Danielle) said ‘mom this isn’t perfect. But I got my little Morgan and she’s amazing.’”

Campo says that is her daughter’s motto — it doesn’t have to be perfect to be amazing.

Danielle got to keep her infant daughter with her in hospital, for 21 days while she initially battled back from the bowel obstruction, an infection, even pneumonia.

But just 12 hours after being discharged from hospital, Campo says her daughter was sick to her stomach and was having difficulty breathing.

“She went into septic shock, and it can happen that quickly in just a few hours,” says Campo.

“She (Danielle) has had four surgeries to try to correct what’s, to get rid of the infection,” she says. “They (doctors). haven’t stopped, so they haven’t stopped trying to save her.”

Campo says her daughter called her moments before that fourth surgery, conducted Thursday.

“She said ‘mom please take care of my kids if anything happens, you’re in charge, ok? You know how I want ‘em raised, they’re going to be okay.”

Campo replied, “I got your back, you’re my everything.”

The Campo family believes all of the prayers from the community have helped their daughter fight for her life.

“Last night (Thursday) she shouldn’t have been here. They (doctors) called us in three times to say ‘I don’t know, I don’t know’ (if she could survive)” says Campo.

“And then we’d go back and they would say, she’s done it again, she’s done it again. She’s a fighter.”

Campo says Danielle’s husband, Denny is at his wife’s bedside round-the-clock, while the extended family cares for their children, including a three-week old infant.

Campo is asking the community for more prayers, and more support, to a woman who has lived her life as an advocate.

“Danielle has been an advocate for this community. Danielle has been an advocate, for sport, for disabled sport. Danielle has worked at Children’s Aid and helped mothers, I wish you could see the emails I get, saying how she had saved their lives or got their kids back, how she had went that extra mile.”

Danielle was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when she was two-years-old. She made her first Paralympic appearance when she was 15.

Campo hopes everyone will light a candle Friday night, in support of Danielle Campo-McLeod.

“If we light up Windsor with candles tonight, it’ll sure make a difference and if anything, God is using us to teach us the power of prayer,” says Campo.

“She’s not done fighting.”

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