Tom Lockyer, the 29-year-old Luton Town defender, collapsed on the pitch during a Premier League match against Bournemouth in December, experiencing cardiac arrest. He revealed that he was "technically dead" for two minutes and 40 seconds but was resuscitated by medics. Lockyer, who collapsed previously in a play-off final, stated that the thought of leaving his pregnant girlfriend to raise their child alone is heartbreaking.
"I'm super lucky because if this didn't happen on a football pitch, there's every chance I wouldn't be here," Lockyer said in an interview with BBC Breakfast. "And the thought of that, leaving my girlfriend [who is pregnant] to raise a child on her own, is heartbreaking."
After undergoing minor surgery following his first collapse, Lockyer returned to play and even captained Luton in the Premier League. However, he collapsed again in December and now has an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted to restart his heart instantly if needed in the future.
Lockyer expressed gratitude to the medical staff who saved him and emphasized the importance of learning CPR. He is now focusing on his family, with the arrival of his baby imminent, and is unsure about returning to football.
"On the one hand I'm eternally grateful that, if I have to retire, I'm so lucky I've got to play in the Premier League, score in the Premier League, represent my country, all these incredible things," he said. "And on the other hand I'm like: 'I'd love a bit more'. Obviously I wouldn't go against any medical advice, but it's far too early to say yet, and there's bigger things on the horizon now with the baby. I would have to speak to the family before I'd consider returning - my focus is on the baby now."
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