The Telegraph
PAUL GASCOIGNE disclosed that he “returned from the dead” after experiencing clinical death during an 18-day medically induced coma.
The 58-year-old former England football star recounted how his heart stopped while he battled alcohol addiction at a rehab facility in Arizona, 12 years ago.
During this period, medical professionals injected directly into Gazza’s heart to sustain his life.
The footballer chose a cold turkey method to confront his drinking issues.
This choice ultimately resulted in an 18-day medically induced coma, from which doctors successfully revived him.
This incident gave rise to false reports regarding Gascoigne’s death.
ON THE ROCKS
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Upon returning to the UK, Gazza startled a passerby who had fallen prey to the disturbing rumors.
In an interview with the Mirror to promote his memoir ‘Eight’, the former player for Newcastle, Tottenham, and Everton remarked: “Looking back at my experiences in Arizona, when I died on the operating table, it was genuinely frightening.
“The doctors told me they brought me back to life. I woke up heavily sedated. Eventually, I reached out to my family and said, ‘I’m okay, I made it through’.
“I distinctly recall coming back to Newcastle and encountering a woman on the street. She gasped at me, nearly fainting.
“She exclaimed, ‘I thought you were dead’. I responded, ‘I’m not f*****g dead’. I later learned that people were receiving texts claiming I had died at the stadium.
“So, the woman looked as if she had seen a ghost.”
Reflecting on his experience at the Arizona clinic, Gazza added: “Honestly, if I had opted for a different rehab, I believe I would have died.
“I don’t remember much afterward. When I relapse, I go cold turkey to confront the pain.
“It was terrifying in Arizona, but I was drugged and didn’t truly feel it. I stayed for an additional two weeks; I still visit from time to time, even during good periods, just to remind myself of the lows I’ve faced.
“They told me I had died. I was still groggy from the drugs. I was sedated and in a coma for 18 days, and when I finally awakened, I didn’t even know what day it was.”
