Luton Town defender Tom Lockyer said he feared he was dying when his heart stopped and he collapsed during a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December, and added that he would not rule out returning to the sport if he is medically cleared.
The Dec. 16 game was abandoned after Lockyer went into cardiac arrest 59 minutes into the contest before spending four nights in hospital, where he was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator device to prevent a repeat incident.
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It was the second time Lockyer collapsed on the field away from the ball, the first time occurring in Luton's final play-off victory in May at Wembley.
Lockyer, 29, said he knew the December incident was more serious because of the reaction of the medical staff when he came onto the field.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “I knew instantly that this time it was different. Last time I woke up almost from a dream, and this time I woke up out of nowhere, and I could see straight away from the paramedics and the physiotherapists and the hospital doctor. club that there was a little more panic.
“I was a little disoriented, I couldn't talk, I couldn't move. I was trying to understand what was happening and I remember thinking, 'I could be dying here.'”
The defender explained that he was “out” for almost three minutes.
“After it happened in May, I have a little recording device under my chest, and I was out for two minutes and 40. I needed the defibrillator to shock him back,” Lockyer said.
“Obviously a huge thank you to the paramedics, the club doctors, everyone who was involved that day because without them I wouldn't be here.”
Lockyer said his father and his girlfriend, who was seven months pregnant at the time, were present on Kenilworth Road when he went into cardiac arrest.
Lockyer said it's not in his hands whether he'll be able to play again, but he remains hopeful.
“That will be dictated by the medical staff and the specialists, but what I would say is that if there is a possibility (obviously I won't do anything against the recommendations of the specialists), then I would love to do it.
“It's obviously too early to say at this point that there are a lot more tests to be done. But I wouldn't rule it out at this point, but my priorities are with the baby.”
Lockyer has spoken to other players who have returned to the field with similar heart conditions, including Christian Eriksen, Daley Blind and Charlie Wyke.
“The one thing they all had in common was, 'Take your time to process what happened,'” Lockyer said.
“In some ways I don't think I have processed it, maybe because as athletes we are able to deal with things differently and we can compartmentalize them.
“Maybe it will come back and bite me in the ass, but I haven't really had any emotion since then, I know I literally died, but I've been pretty numb about it. But my girlfriend is pregnant, she's due soon; that's my priority.”
Reuters reporting contributed to this report.
