Table of Contents
- Near-Death Experience
- Recovery Journey
- Interactions with Teammates
- Battles with Addiction
- Mental Health Struggles
- Getting Help
ENGLAND cricket icon Robin Smith has shared his harrowing near-death experience.
Just eighteen months ago, the former player’s friends and family were informed that he was gravely ill.
Former England and Hampshire star Robin Smith was recently given just days to liveCredit: Reuters
Smith made a remarkable recovery but had to undergo extensive rehabilitationCredit: Reuters
Years of substance abuse, compounded by depression, took a severe toll on his body, leading doctors to inform his family that he might only have two days left to live.
With significantly damaged organs, Smith, who represented England in all formats and played in 62 Test matches, spent four months in the hospital.
After being discharged to make room for another patient, Smith faced a challenging rehabilitation process, which included relearning how to walk with assistance from his son Harrison and his wife.
Six months later, he was back on his feet and eventually moved into his own home.
Recently, Smith reunited with some former England teammates before, during, and after the first Test in Perth.
Reflecting on his time with friends in an interview with The Times , he recalled, “‘Jeez, Judgie,’ they exclaimed, ‘You’ve come back from the dead.’”
He added: “Everyone is eager to see Lazarus.”
Smith has faced numerous relapses throughout his long-standing battle with alcohol, including one following the recent passing of his father, who lived in a nearby care home.
Robin Smith has bravely shared his mental and physical challengesCredit: SHUTTERSTOCK
He openly confessed: “I believed I had fully recovered.
“However, after seeing my dad in his condition and living alone, I fell back into my… well, you know, once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.
“It's always a struggle to stay away from it. It’s easy to return to the alcohol.”
Smith did not conceal his relapse from the doctor who had given his family the distressing news.
He continued: “After that week when I started drinking again, I met with the professor who had discussed my prognosis with my family.
“I told him I felt I had let myself down. He replied, ‘If you’ve been drinking again, you must be a cat with nine lives.
“‘Because many people wouldn’t have survived this.’ I know I’m on my last warning.”
Opening up is something the cherished Smith once feared.
Everyone is eager to see Lazarus.”
Robin Smith
Robin Smith was close friends with the late Shane WarneCredit: AFP
His reluctance to share his feelings almost led him to attempt suicide twice.
In a poignant statement to the Daily Mail, he shared: “I now speak publicly about mental health issues.
“I was very, very close twice, within minutes, to ending my life.
“I regret not reaching out to my friends. I didn’t want to burden them with my problems, but I should have confided in them.
“Anyone who thinks they might be a burden to their friends is mistaken.
“You simply need to
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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