One year ago Marc Leishman sat in tears in a corner of a hospital room trying to be strong despite being told his wife Audrey faced almost certain death.
Audrey's story of survival will turn full circle when she caddies for her husband at the traditional par-three contest on Masters eve at Augusta National.
Given just a five per cent chance of survival as she lay in a coma with toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), things were certainly grim.
Marc, who withdrew from the Masters to stay by her side and be with his two young sons Harvey and Ollie, was already contemplating a life without golf as a single father.
Now the tears will flow again, but this time they will be joyful as Audrey brings the two toddlers onto Augusta National once more.
"It is definitely emotional for me and the emotions are pretty much running the gamut but mostly I am very thankful to be here, to be alive," Audrey told AAP of the return to Augusta.
Traditionally family members and friends suit up as caddies for the nine-hole par three course contest where greats of the game mix with current stars.
"Last year I woke up on the Tuesday. I was so drugged it didn't really hit me what I had gone through but on Wednesday when I saw all my friends on tour posting photos of all their families at the par-three contest I really got emotional," Audrey recalled.
"I had my two boys' caddie outfits waiting for them at home so that was tough but it is really special we will be able to be there this year."
Audrey is running at about 85 per cent health a year on, still battling from a weakened immune system, which can make some days tougher than others.
But while pushing through her own issues, she is spearheading the pair's Begin Again Foundation, shedding light on and helping people with ARDS, TSS and Sepsis.
She unabashedly and confidently advocates for women to not use tampons, believing this to be a major cause.
"Our foundation has really given me a positive place to put my emotion and I am grateful for that," Audrey said.
"Sepsis is the ninth-highest killer in the US, it kills more people than breast cancer, and prostate cancer and AIDS combined at around 258,000 people a year and people don't know about it.
"Even though some things are hard to talk about, they're uncomfortable to talk about, I realise I have an incredible platform to spread awareness that I know plenty of other survivors would love to have as well."
For Marc, the Masters represents a chance for him to continue his upward trajectory in the world of golf.
His fourth-place finish in the 2013 Masters announced his majors pedigree.
A run into the playoff at last year's British Open confirmed it and an impressive win at the rich Nedbank Challenge late last year pushing him inside the world top 30.
"I have some good and bad memories here, not only last year but I've played good here and played bad here and I have learned from that," Leishman said.
"It is certainly an emotional return but I find it easy to get down to business because it is such a punishing golf course.
And if he was able to capture the title?
"There wouldn't be anything more special than that," Audrey says.
"The boys and I would definitely be out there. I think it is every families' dream to run out on the 18th green of any tournament but if it was this one well I think we all might be crying."
There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house.
Share
