My mother thought I was dead - Gerald Asamoah opens up on struggle with heart condition

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Former German international, Gerald Asamoah has opened up on his struggles with a heart condition in 1998.

In an Okay FM interview, Gerald Asamoah recounted the experience which he says nearly ended his football career.

He revealed the extent to which he had to go to get doctor’s approval for him to return to the field and enjoy the game he so much loves.

Gerald Asamoah described the period as one of the most difficult in his career as his struggles affected his family and friends.

The former Schalke forward recounted an incident where his mother thought he had passed on after finding him in a washroom.

He is however grateful to God and the doctors for helping him regain control of his life and enjoy football again.

“A professor told me if I tried playing football, I would die. He told me it could be hereditary but after testing both my mom and dad, it turned out negative. I visited a lot of doctors and they refused to sanction me to play again. My last chance was to go to the US.

“They discovered that in Germany there was no doctor to determine the percentage. In the US, I was told that the percentage was less than one so I could play. I still had to come to Germany to get an approval from a German doctor. It was hard but the doctor who went with me to US signed for me. I played for about 3 and half months. It wasn’t easy for me.

“There was a time I felt like vomiting but it wasn’t coming so I went to sleep at the bathroom so that in case the puke comes then I do it there. My mom wanted to use the washroom and saw me lying there. For a moment she thought I was dead. She was crying. It was hard for the family to take. I was lucky. It was hard for me and my family. God has really helped and I’m grateful that’s why I’m giving back. But for God, I wouldn’t be here.

The 43-year-old who is now retired played for teams such as Hannover 96 where he played 79 games before moving to Schalke where he really made his name and mark. Later he played for the like of St Pauli and Greuther Fürth.

At the 2002 World Cup, Gerald Asamoah made history as the first black man to play for the Germans at a World Cup.