Shellharbour City Deputy Mayor Kellie Marsh is fighting for recovery in a Sydney intensive care unit after a terrifying medical emergency involving two brain aneurysms. The local government figure, who was acting as mayor at the time, is described as "lucky to be alive" following a serious subarachnoid hemorrhage.
A Fateful Phone Call That Made All The Difference
The dramatic sequence of events unfolded on Saturday, January 19, 2026. Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer, who is currently on leave, was about to go for a surf at North Manyana when he noticed his phone ringing in his car. Deputy Mayor Marsh was calling to discuss council business.
"I was basically about to press the key fob of my car to close it up and go for a surf when I saw Kellie come up on the front face of the phone," Mayor Homer recounted. He initially considered calling her back later but decided to answer. During their conversation, which lasted about five to ten minutes, Ms Marsh suddenly said she was "seeing stars" before her speech faded and strange sounds were heard over the line.
Acting quickly, Mayor Homer called the deputy mayor's son, Nathan, who was fortunately at home. Nathan found his mother unresponsive on the floor and foaming at the mouth. Mayor Homer immediately hung up and called emergency services, providing them with the address and symptoms.
"Lucky to Be Alive" After Serious Brain Bleed
Emergency services transported Kellie Marsh to Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital, where she remains in the Intensive Care Unit. Medical professionals performed surgery on two brain aneurysms. Doctors also discovered a third, minor aneurysm which they deemed did not require immediate operation.
The condition escalated into what is medically termed a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Mayor Homer did not mince words about the severity, stating, "It turned into, the technical term was a subarachnoid hemorrhage, quite serious stuff, and she's basically lucky to be alive."
According to medical sources like the Mayo Clinic, a subarachnoid hemorrhage is bleeding in the space between the brain and the tissues covering it. This is a life-threatening condition that, if left untreated, can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
A Ten-Second Decision With Lifesaving Consequences
Reflecting on the harrowing incident, Mayor Homer emphasised how a split-second decision likely altered the outcome. "I've reflected on it, and I just thought, it all boiled down to about 10 seconds, where I looked at the phone with my board underneath my arm, ready to close the back hatch," he said.
He expressed profound gratitude for his choice to answer the call, a decision that set in motion the rapid chain of events leading to medical intervention. "I just thought, 'No, just take the call', I'm just really grateful that I took the decision to actually to take the call," Mayor Homer stated.
The Shellharbour community is now awaiting further updates on Deputy Mayor Marsh's condition as she continues her recovery in hospital. The incident has starkly highlighted how swift action in a medical crisis can be the difference between life and death.
