Independent wrestler Leah Sparks says she broke her neck during her most recent match and expects to be away from wrestling and circus work for a significant period while she recovers.
Sparks, whose name is LeeAnn Ball, described the injury in a fundraiser she organized herself. She said she fractured both sides of her C2 vertebra and dislocated the right side. She underwent immediate surgery, spent a week in the hospital and has since returned home to recover with family and friends.
“I am walking and talking and navigating everything the best I can.”
Sparks did not identify the match or a specific return timetable in the statement. She said she plans to seek specialized rehabilitation and therapy, while acknowledging uncertainty about what comes next for her career. Her account should be read as her own update on the injury and recovery.
The Canadian performer has worked as a circus artist for more than a decade and began pursuing professional wrestling a little over three years ago. Both forms of performance have provided her income. She wrote that losing access to movement and performance has affected more than her schedule.
“This injury has completely shaken a huge part of my life and what I love, and there is still so much uncertainty surrounding what comes next.”
She expects to be away from her principal work for a considerable time. Sparks said the fundraiser is intended to ease financial pressure and support specialized care as she heals. She thanked the wrestling, circus, theater and arts communities for their support and asked those unable to donate to share the fundraiser.
Source: LeeAnn Ball’s fundraiser and injury statement.
