FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The moment Norway coach Stale Solbaken stepped over security barriers to kiss his wife Anike after the team's 3-2 win over Senegal became one of the most touching scenes of the World Cup.
Television cameras captured the moment Solbaken climbed over the fence to celebrate Norway's qualification to the round of 32 with his partner. The footage quickly spread on social media, touching thousands of fans around the world.
However, behind this emotional moment lies a difficult personal history that the couple has gone through over the years.
In 2001, while still a player for Copenhagen, Solbaken suffered a heart attack in the stadium tunnel after a match against Aalborg. His life was saved by the club's doctor, Frank Odgard, who managed to resuscitate him.
Doctors discovered that the former midfielder's heart had stopped beating for 12 minutes, while he had been without breathing for seven minutes. The doctor himself described his survival as a miracle.
After the dramatic event, Solbaken spent several days in intensive care, in an induced coma. Years later, he recounted the unusual experience he had when he woke up.
" At first I couldn't see anything, just total darkness. Then a light blue light appeared... let's call it a tunnel. It was a beautiful light. When they woke me up, I thought: 'Oh no, can I stay there a little longer?'. I have no explanation for what I saw ," Solbaken said.
After this episode, the current coach of the Norwegian national team was forced to have a defibrillator implanted in his heart and end his football career at the age of 33.
He admitted that the period was particularly difficult for his wife Anike, who was only 24 years old at the time. According to him, the ordeal brought them even closer together.
During the days when Solbaken was in a coma, his family and friends faced great uncertainty about his fate. The situation was so critical that even the organization of a funeral was being discussed.
" My parents immediately flew to Denmark. I was told that during the flight my mother started organizing my funeral. At first everyone was worried if I would survive, then if I would suffer brain damage. These were the thoughts that tormented my family and teammates, who watched me fall, die and come back to life, " he confessed.
Today, more than two decades after that life-changing event, Solbaken continues to be an important figure in Norwegian football, while the moment of celebration with his wife after the victory over Senegal was seen by many as a symbol of a story of love and survival.
Lini një Përgjigje