A former Commonwealth Games swimmer has revealed he was left with a French accent after suffering a stroke while training.
Jersey athlete Jack Allan was rushed to hospital with a brain bleed after being kicked in the head during a mixed martial arts session at Loughborough University in October. The freak accident left him temporarily paralyzed and unable to speak.
But as he recovered, he began speaking with a French accent, leading doctors to diagnose him with foreign accent syndrome, a rare condition usually triggered by a stroke or head trauma.
Allan, 21, who swam at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, said: “I noticed my French accent straight away. And the more tired or frustrated I got, the more French it became.”
Jersey athlete Jack Allan was rushed to hospital with a brain haemorrhage.
The freak accident left him temporarily paralyzed and unable to speak.
He had been kicked in the head during a mixed martial arts session at Loughborough University in October.
The harrowing injury left him paralyzed on his right side and unable to communicate. After two weeks, Allan was flown back to Jersey for rehabilitation. It was here that the French accent emerged.
Allan told The Mail on Sunday: “I’ve spent a lot of time getting my British accent back.” My goal is that French doesn’t leak out at all.