In an interview with Sky, Luton Town’s topper and captain Tom Lockyer tells what happened to him when he fell short on the field in the middle of a match in December.
Tom Lockyer was interviewed by Sky Sports on Sunday before Luton’s game against Manchester United. Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock, AOP
Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer reveals his heart stopped for almost three minutes when he suffered a seizure during the match against Bournemouth on December 16. Lockyer was hospitalized for five days after the terrifying contraction.
The 29-year-old Luton skipper was fitted with a pacemaker in hospital. He was able to meet his teammates again in training in January, but the return to the playing fields still has to wait.
Lockyer says for Sky Sportshow he came close to death during the Bournemouth game.
– It was a normal day, and that’s the most worrying of all, because I felt completely healthy.
– I ran towards the center line and I started to feel dizzy. I thought it would pass quickly, but it didn’t.
Medical personnel rushed to the field to help Lockyer. Thanks to the quick action, he survived the cardiac arrest.
The story continues after the picture.
Lockyer’s heart was restarted even before he was carried off the field, Luton announced after the Bournemouth match. James Marsh/Shutterstock, AOP
Lockyer had suffered a similar seizure back in May when Luton played against Coventry in the promotion final. He says that the scene in the Bournemouth match was clearly more serious.
– I woke up and the paramedics were around me. I knew right away that it was different from my seizure in May. Last time it felt like I woke up from a dream, but this time I woke up from nothingness.
– I couldn’t speak or move. I was trying to figure out what was going on and I remember thinking “I might die”.
Lockyer’s heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds. He says he’s lucky to still be alive.
Lockyer says the most challenging part of dealing with what happened has been seeing her family’s pain. The family members’ anxiety has made it difficult to deal with what happened.
– I haven’t had any feelings since what happened. I literally died, but I’ve been totally nuts about the whole thing ever since.
He hopes to be able to return to play at the top level, but first he has to go through a series of tests before the doctors dare to give him permission to play.
– If I have the opportunity to play again, I will do so with pleasure. But I don’t do anything against the doctors’ orders. But it’s still too early to tell.