'I was dead at one point' - a footballer's 'miracle' return

It was a Friday nighttime - conscionable for illustration countless Friday nights earlier it - for Adam Dodd, a celebrated left-sided subordinate pinch non-league FC United of Manchester.

A Thai takeaway pinch his woman Kat, and a chance to drawback up and unwind aft a engaged week for nan couple.

A fewer hours later Dodd was successful nan intensive attraction portion astatine Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Kat had woken up aft proceeding her 29-year-old partner gasping for air.

She tried to aftermath him but aft getting nary response, Kat performed life-saving CPR, external connected Dodd while paramedics raced to their location successful Kirkham, Lancashire.

He had gone into cardiac apprehension successful his sleep.

"I wouldn't beryllium present coming but for Kat," says Dodd astir nan events which unfolded successful nan early hours of 4 June 2022.

"I was dormant astatine 1 point. When nan paramedics arrived it took 4 attempts to daze my bosom backmost into a normal rhythm."

More than 2 years connected - and backmost playing shot for non-league Lancashire squad Bamber Bridge - Dodd is urging each supporters to study CPR.

"It takes 15 minutes of your clip - if that," he adds. "There is nary amended accomplishment than being capable to prevention a life."

"You can't die, you can't dice - that's each I kept thinking," says Kat erstwhile asked what was going done her mind while performing CPR connected her boyfriend.

She had learned nan emergency process done her occupation arsenic a superior schoolhouse teacher.

At nan clip nan couple, who went to nan aforesaid precocious schoolhouse successful Kirkham, had been together for 5 years.

"You ne'er deliberation you are going to person to execute CPR connected nan emotion of your life," adds Kat., external

Dodd, who was connected Blackpool's books arsenic a subordinate betwixt nan ages of 12 and 21, spent 4 days successful an induced coma.

"I retrieve nan time Adam woke up from nan coma. He recognised maine and it was conscionable nan champion moment," recalls Kat.

"I thought, 'I've sewage him back'."

But location were much problems ahead.

Three weeks aft being admitted, Dodd was discharged from infirmary aft being fitted pinch a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) nether his skin, which sends electrical pulses to modulate abnormal bosom rhythms.

A fewer days later, however, he was backmost successful infirmary aft complications.

"I sewage pneumonia while I was successful a coma and my near lung partially collapsed," says Dodd. "I was waking up successful nan mediate of nan nighttime successful pools of sweat.

"It was for illustration drowning and being stabbed astatine nan aforesaid time. I had to spell backmost to infirmary for different 3 weeks."

Incredibly, 1 twelvemonth aft his cardiac apprehension Dodd played for FC United of Manchester in a tournament, external astatine nan San Siro Stadium successful Milan, 1 of nan astir iconic grounds successful world football, aft being fixed nan all-clear to resume playing again.

It was an affectional moment, pinch his dada Paul and relative Ryan travelling to Italy to watch him play.

"I was pinching myself and asking myself if this was real," says Dodd, who has played astatine left-back and successful midfield. "It was a occurrence I was playing again."

A fewer days earlier nan crippled astatine nan San Siro, he had surgery down successful tears astatine location arsenic nan emotions of what he and Kat had been done flooded backmost connected nan first day of it each happening.

A emotion of guilt still lingers for putting those adjacent to him done truthful overmuch anguish.

"My mum [Suzanne] had 2 encephalon haemorrhages truthful I cognize what it's for illustration to beryllium successful an intensive attraction portion waiting room erstwhile nan caregiver tells you they whitethorn ne'er aftermath up," adds Dodd.

"Even if they do they whitethorn not cognize who you are. I cognize that feeling, I felt a batch of guilt from that."

Dodd near FC United of Manchester successful June 2023 aft 118 competitory games.

The nine released a connection , externalwhich said: "A characteristic who gave it each for FC United of Manchester, he will beryllium missed connected and disconnected nan pitch, acknowledgment Adam, you're ever invited back."

Dodd is everlastingly grateful for nan measurement FC United of Manchester supporters rallied to support him and Kat while he was successful infirmary and incapable to work, raising £7,670 to thief salary his owe while he recovered.

"I can't convey them enough," he adds.

Two months agone nan mates sewage joined successful an affectional ceremonial successful beforehand of adjacent family and friends earlier enjoying a honeymoon successful South Africa and Zanzibar.

"Kat intends nan world to me," says Dodd, who useful arsenic a full-time plumber. "For her to beryllium capable to grip everything nan measurement she has, I'm successful awe of her."

Dodd has to spell backmost to infirmary doubly a twelvemonth for an echocardiogram, a scan utilized to look astatine nan heart.

But he is capable to make plans for nan early pinch his caller woman arsenic he admits: "I cognize I'm very lucky. I look astatine life a batch otherwise than before. You return truthful galore things for granted. I admit nan small things more."

When he is not moving aliases playing football, Dodd is encouraging group to study CPR.

"I'd cognize what to do now [CPR] but that's only because of what happened to me," he adds.

"People deliberation they will ne'er beryllium successful a business wherever they person to execute CPR connected someone...but you conscionable ne'er know."