The Incredible Story Of Fabrice Muamba

Three years ago this week the world of football was left stunned and in a state of shock after Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the field of play during a game between Spurs and Muamba’s Bolton Wanderers. Muamba collapsed to the ground without another player near him, the first sign of trouble, and then the reaction of the other players told us the rest, this was serious.

Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch, he was assisted by club doctors from both teams and, in a fortunate twist of fate, a cardiologist who was attending the game as a Spurs fan. Muamba was given defibrillator treatment on the field of play as the other players looked on stunned or looked away as the scene was too harrowing, the game was rightly abandoned by referee Howard Webb and the footballing world held it’s breath and waited for the inevitable and heart breaking news. Immediately thoughts turned to the life of poor Marc Viviene Foe who died on the pitch in a game for the Cameroon national side from a heart attack at the age of just 28.

But fortunately that news never came, early reports suggested that Muamba’s heart had indeed stopped but that he was resuscitated and was extremely critical but alive, as the hours and days went on it became clear that Muamba’s heart had stopped for a horrifying 78 minutes, 78 minutes! Within 2 days of ‘dying’ Muamba’s heart was able to beat without medication and he could move his limbs, 2 weeks after the incident Muamba and his partner uploaded a photo of a smiling Fabrice in his hospital bed and he was discharged just 1 month after he had essentially ‘died.’

Fabrice Muamba was found to have had a heart defect which hadn’t been discovered which caused the arrest and was fitted with a device to shock his heart if ever it was needed, having taken advice from the medical world Muamba officially retired from football on August 15th.

Since then the charismatic Muamba has been continuing to set an example to the world, he took part in a charity single for Children in Need which went to number 1 and raised thousands for charity, he has been assisting coaching sessions for Liverpool and through his work, all footballers are now screened for heart problems prior to signing for clubs in the hope that we never see anything like this again.

Muamba has always had incredible drive, this is the man who came to the UK from Democratic Republic of Congo at the age of 11, with no English in his grasp and literally knocked on Arsenal’s academy door and asked for a trial. Despite being retired from the game he has more drive than ever, having been given a new lease of life, and is studying for a degree in journalism at Staffordshire University.

Muamba’s story is a fascinating tale of tragedy and salvation and all in between, the consequences of what happened will save lives for years to come and the will to succeed at all costs that Muamba has will hopefully inspire thousands.

The doctors and medics who saved Muamba’s life that day:

Andrew Deaner (Cardiologist)

Shabaaz Mughai  (Spurs club doctor)

Jonathan Tobin  (Bolton club doctor)

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