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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Invictus Games: Elizabeth Marks gives gold medal to Papworth Hospital | Invictus Games: Elizabeth Marks gives gold medal to Papworth Hospital |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An American soldier has given her Invictus Games gold medal to the hospital team that saved her life. | An American soldier has given her Invictus Games gold medal to the hospital team that saved her life. |
| Sgt Elizabeth Marks told Prince Harry, who presented her with the prize, to hand it to the medical team at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. | |
| The swimmer, 25, from Arizona, became gravely ill when she collapsed with a lung condition on the eve of the first games in London in 2014. | The swimmer, 25, from Arizona, became gravely ill when she collapsed with a lung condition on the eve of the first games in London in 2014. |
| "They absolutely saved my life and I can't thank the UK enough," she said. | "They absolutely saved my life and I can't thank the UK enough," she said. |
| Sgt Marks won all four swimming events she entered at the Invictus Games in Orlando for injured military personnel and veterans. | Sgt Marks won all four swimming events she entered at the Invictus Games in Orlando for injured military personnel and veterans. |
| She chose to give her 100m freestyle gold to the hospital as it had been touched by the prince, who came up with the idea for the games. | She chose to give her 100m freestyle gold to the hospital as it had been touched by the prince, who came up with the idea for the games. |
| Read more on this story and other news in Cambridgeshire | Read more on this story and other news in Cambridgeshire |
| Sgt Marks has served in the US army since she was 17, but in 2010 suffered a serious hip injury that left her with no feeling in her left leg. | Sgt Marks has served in the US army since she was 17, but in 2010 suffered a serious hip injury that left her with no feeling in her left leg. |
| Two years ago, she became very ill after arriving in the UK for the games. | Two years ago, she became very ill after arriving in the UK for the games. |
| She woke up from an induced coma 10 days later in an army hospital in Germany. | She woke up from an induced coma 10 days later in an army hospital in Germany. |
| "I was in hospital in London and went into respiratory distress syndrome, they shipped a team down from Papworth who put me on to ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) life support and that ultimately saved my life," she said. | "I was in hospital in London and went into respiratory distress syndrome, they shipped a team down from Papworth who put me on to ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) life support and that ultimately saved my life," she said. |
| "But they absolutely saved my life and I can't thank the UK enough for having that kind of medical support and taking such good care of me. | "But they absolutely saved my life and I can't thank the UK enough for having that kind of medical support and taking such good care of me. |
| "So I gave Prince Harry one of my medals and hope it will find its way back to Papworth." | "So I gave Prince Harry one of my medals and hope it will find its way back to Papworth." |
| She also paid tribute to the NHS and said: "Thank you, I'll never be able to repay you, but what you're doing is wonderful." | She also paid tribute to the NHS and said: "Thank you, I'll never be able to repay you, but what you're doing is wonderful." |
| Papworth's temporary chief executive said she was "delighted" by both Sgt Marks' "extraordinary" achievement and gesture. | Papworth's temporary chief executive said she was "delighted" by both Sgt Marks' "extraordinary" achievement and gesture. |
| Claire Tripp said: "We wish Elizabeth the very best and would very much like to meet her so we can thank her personally." | Claire Tripp said: "We wish Elizabeth the very best and would very much like to meet her so we can thank her personally." |
| The hospital's medical director Dr Roger Hall said the team was "extremely proud" of Sgt Marks and described her donation as "generous and unexpected". | The hospital's medical director Dr Roger Hall said the team was "extremely proud" of Sgt Marks and described her donation as "generous and unexpected". |
| "Elizabeth's fantastic achievement is a good example of how modern medicine can support all of us to not only lead a normal life, following life-threatening conditions, but go on to achieve truly amazing accomplishments," he said. | "Elizabeth's fantastic achievement is a good example of how modern medicine can support all of us to not only lead a normal life, following life-threatening conditions, but go on to achieve truly amazing accomplishments," he said. |