‘I think my odds were 7 percent’: Ryan Campbell opens up about his recent ailment

In a fortunate turn of events, Netherlands men’s head coach Ryan Campbell has been discharged from the hospital after more than a week of getting admitted following cardiac arrest. Campbell suffered a series of cardiac arrests on April 16 in Stoke-on-Trent and was taken into ICU in an induced coma.  

Addressing the Australian radio station Triple M in his hometown Perth, the former Australian batter revealed that he had no memory of his seven-day long stay in the hospital when he recovered from his coma, and Ryan even thought that he was in Hong Kong and asked his wife what he was doing there without his children. 

“I have no recollection. When I woke up, I was a bit confused. I thought I was in Hong Kong, and I was asking my wife why I was in Hong Kong without my kids. Seven days of my life I will never remember”, Campbell said. 

Recalling the incident, the 50-year-old thanked a lady named Beci Bassett, who gave him CPR treatment in time on the day he collapsed near her daughter’s feet. He said that he recently had lunch with the woman and termed it a ‘cool experience’. 

“The lucky thing was I actually lied down on the foot of a young girl whose mother (Bassett) was the one that saved my life with CPR. She had just literally finished her course”, Campbell said. “I actually had lunch with her yesterday. It was a pretty cool experience to be honest”, he further added. 

Talking about his health status, Campbell clarified that a recent chest infection or his battle with covid might have caused him cardiac arrest as per the doctor who treated him. However, he was cleared of any other underlying abnormalities. 

“I had a chest infection when we went to South Africa in November. I was a bit sick but I was fine, and then I had Covid in February”, Campbell said. 

“I think my odds were like 7 percent or something, which means I get a second crack at it, and I’m gonna make sure I live it to the most”, the Dutch head coach added. 

On being asked about the tentative time of his reunion with the Netherlands cricket team, the former Australian batsman said that he isn’t allowed to travel on a flight for a couple of months. Therefore, it will take a little bit of time for him to reunite with his team. 

“I’m actually not allowed to fly for a couple of months. I’m looking forward to seeing my cricket team again and seeing how they’re going, but we won’t be rushing back into it”, the Perth-born concluded.