Daniel Engelbrecht plans a major Christmas and New Year bash for friends and family now that he has returned to professional football after almost losing his life last year over heart problems. Engelbrecht, from third division Stuttgarter Kickers, is the only German pro who plays with a defibrillator which he names "my guardian angel but also a reminder of the worst time of my life" in an interview with dpa.
The 24-year-old collapsed 17 months ago in the 2013-14 season-opener against Erfurt and had to be given emergency resusciation. Medical examinations revealed he suffered from a heart muscle inflammation and an abnormal heart rhythm. Engelbrecht underwent four operations and is now back on the pitch since mid-November, playing with the defibrillator under a protection as a sub and scoring two goals so far.
Although doctors advised him not to play football again, Engelbrecht decided he wanted to return, and now that the comeback is achieved it is also time to party in the festive season. "My biggest wish for Christmas was to be healthy again, and that has been fulfilled. The last year and a half I couldn't party with my friends at birthdays, Christmas or New Year's Eve. I promised them to make up for it and that we would celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve. The night will be on me," he promises.
But Engelbrecht is not finished yet as his ultimate goal is playing a full match again, although he is not rushing things. "I am at around 65 per cent. I am still using medication which will be gradually reduced. It still slows me down. But once it is gone I will have even more power," he says. "It doesn't matter when that will happen as long as I reach that stage."
However, he readily admits to a love-hate relationship with the defibrillator which he is yet to get fully used to since it was implanted on December 18, 2013. "It still feels out of place. I have lived without a defibrillator for 23 years so it will take a while until I can say it is part of me," Engelbrecht says. He already experienced a defibrillator shock in January when he had to provoke an abnormal heart rhythm ahead of an operation, resulting in the "worst time of my life.
"I was shocked with 830 volt, my pulse was at 300. Normally you say 'that's it, good-bye' at this stage. But I stayed on my feet, didn't lose conscience, and when I collapsed there was a bang, I flew two, three metres across the hallway. It felt as if I was burning from the inside, as if someone was lighting a fire in my belly. My whole body hurt and shook," he says. The incident led to anxiety attacks, hallucinations and insomnia, but once the operations were all carried out "I felt like 95 per cent better, like being reborn.
"It was like being back in my own body. Since then I trust my body more and more," he says. The experience has made Engelbrecht appreciate and cherish life more than in the past, and it all culminated on December 6 when he scored his first goal since the comeback, a 2-1 winner against Wehen in the 89th minute.
"It was the emotional highlight of my life. You can not put this feeling into words," he says. "I felt how everyone else was happy for me, that many even cried with me. For me, it was confirmation that the fight was worth it, that nothing is impossible in life. "It makes me happy and proud to be the first German footballer who has achieved this with a defibrillator. I also got a lot of feedback from people with similar problems. I try to be a role model and to give them hope in difficult times."
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