A County Antrim footballer has opened up on his recovery from a heart attack at just 19 years of age.
Lisburn Distillery striker Jourdan Shearer was rushed to hospital after collapsing during a training session back in December, 2021.
He then underwent a lengthy rehabilitation programme that kept him out of football for several months.
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Jourdan is one of the players featured in a brilliant NI Football League documentary filmed by David Kerr.
Entitled 'Inside: Lisburn Distillery', Kerr delves into the proud history of the Whites and offers an insight into current manager Barry Johnston and his squad.
Reflecting on his heart attack, Jourdan tells the documentary: "I had the attack attack which kept me out for eight months. It happened at training.
"I was completely fine for about two hours during training. We then played this 8 vs 8 training game at the end and I felt something like a stitch.
"I remember thinking, 'what's this about?'. My mum and stepdad were in the car saying, 'there's something wrong with him'.
"I just collapsed on the pitch, just collapsed. I woke up, threw up, fell unconscious again and then next thing I know I am in hospital.
"I was in hospital for a long time and then out for the next seven to eight months. It wasn't the best, I wasn't even allowed to walk. I wasn't allowed to drive or anything.
"Then last July I got the all-clear and was allowed to return to competitive sport."
Jourdan says the heart scare was down to having Covid-19 for a second time.
He explained: "They said that when I was training that I had Covid, and it caused my heart stress. That caused a wee tear at the bottom of my heart and leaked all the fluids."
Jourdan was given the green light to return to competitive sport last summer, and after some early nerves he admits the confidence is starting to return.
"When I came back I was terrible for months. I had no confidence playing football, and any time I felt something I was bricking it. Any time I felt a bit of pain I was like, 'no, I am not playing any more'.
"But it's start to come back now. I laugh about it now, but at the time it was scary. I am 20 now, so I was only 19 when it happened."
Jourdan is revelling in his time at Distillery, adding that "football is my life".
He said: "I don't know what I would do without football. If I didn't have it I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
"Even training for an hour and a half, and playing, there is nothing else that comes into your head.
"I'd near choose football over my family at times, but I shouldn't say that as they're sitting over there!"
Check out the full episode of 'Inside: Lisburn Distillery' at the top of this page
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