Former Derry gaelic footballer Kevin McCloy
On Saturday, former Derry Gaelic footballer Kevin McCloy received a text from one of his old team mates to say that he was thinking about him.
Kevin was unsure what his friend meant until he was told to tune into the Denmark-Finland Euro 2020 match on television.
Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen had just collapsed on the pitch.
He had suffered a cardiac arrest and needed emergency treatment, including CPR and a defibrillator on the field.
His partner and mother of their two children rushed onto the pitch and was comforted by shocked his team mates.
The event had particular resonance for Kevin, a former Lavey GAA player, because he also suffered a cardiac arrest during a club game in 2014.
Kevin’s club had defibrillators at the ground as a result of a high-profile campaign that followed the death of Tyrone GAA star Cormac McAnallen, who died of a hidden heart condition in 2004.
The portable defibrillator was invented by North of Ireland-born cardiologist, Professor Frank Pantridge, in 1965.
Kevin says he owes his life to the device.
He said: “It’s a positive thing that there’s more awareness around the importance of defibrillators and I think we should be training people as young as primary school age to use them.
“Without the Cormac McAnallen campaign, the people who gave me CPR, and who knew how to use the device, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Christian Eriksen tweets picture from his hospital bed saying he is fine in the circumstances
The 29-year-old said: “Hello everyone.
“Big thanks for your sweet and amazing greetings and messages from all around the world. It means a lot to me and my family. ♥️🙏
“I’m fine – under the circumstances. I still have to go through some examinations at the hospital, but I feel okay.
“Now, I will cheer on the boys on the Denmark team in the next matches.
“Play for all of Denmark 🇩🇰
“Best. Christian.”
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