The Wigan Athletics player who collapsed during training has revealed the scars he has been left with after a defibrillator was fitted in his chest. The device is to help Charlie Wyke keep playing football and is similar to the one that was given to Danish international Christian Eriksen, who Wyke says 'inspired' him to make a comeback to the sport.
Last year, Wigan forward, Charlie Wyke was rushed to hospital after he collapsed during a training session. It was revealed that the player's heart had stopped beating for four minutes.
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Charlie has been recovering for nine months and made his return to football this weekend in a league game versus Birmingham City. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, the player, originally from Sunderland said: "It was the scariest day of my life. I was just training as normal and then, all of a sudden, I've woken up on the floor, my sleeves cut off, with five staff looking over me. I had no idea what had happened.
"The last thing I remember was walking over to the manager to tell him I was going to collapse but I couldn't get my words out. I then found out later it was actually the gaffer who started the CPR process and got me breathing again.
"That journey to the hospital in the ambulance was so scary. When I got told it was a cardiac arrest I instantly thought my football career was finished. I was absolutely devastated."
Four months before Charlie suffered his devastating collapse, the world watched on as current Manchester United player and Denmark player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during a Euro 2020 game against Finland. Eriksen was fitted with the same device Charlie has been given which will shock him when his heart goes into cardiac arrest.
Speaking of their similar stories they share, Charlie said: "I remember being on holiday and watching it all unfold with Eriksen in the Euros and thinking 'you've got to be so unlucky for that to happen to you as a player' - and then four months later it was me.
"But Eriksen has given me the inspiration to get back. If he hadn't made the comeback he has, I don't think I would have either. I had to see someone else do it for me to be able to push myself to do it too.
"I've had a call from (Fabrice) Muamba (who suffered a cardiac arrest during a match), who was great - he said things will get easier and they have. I also spoke to Daley Blind who had the shock of his defibrillator going off on the pitch, so it was good to speak to them to help ease my mind about things."
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