Wales boss Rob Page has backed Tom Lockyer’s calls for people to learn CPR after his squad acquired lifesaving skills three months before their team-mate collapsed.
Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during Luton’s Premier League game at Bournemouth in December and his heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds.
The 29-year-old was saved as medics rushed to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and provide early defibrillation.
Wales defender Lockyer has since supported the British Heart Foundation’s campaign for people to learn CPR skills, as well as raise funds for lifesaving research.
“The medical team came in and we did the class,” Page said of his squad undertaking a CPR and defibrillator training course in September that would take on special significance three months later.
“Tom is championing it at the minute, and rightly so.
“It just shows that there’s more to life than football.”
Lockyer returned to the scene of his on-pitch cardiac arrest on Wednesday for Luton’s re-arranged meeting with Bournemouth.
Basic Life Support and AED training could help you save a life one day.
Our Cymru squad have done the training. Find out more about how you can get involved 👇@savealifecymru | #TogetherStronger
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) September 8, 2023
The 16-times capped central defender met medics who helped save his life and admitted that he “got a little bit emotional”, while describing them as “heroes”.
Lockyer has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and conceded it is “out of his hands” if he will ever play again.
But he will be part of Wales’ preparations next week as they bid to qualify for Euro 2024 and a third successive European Championship.
Wales host Finland in a play-off semi-final in Cardiff next Thursday, with the winners at home to Estonia or Poland five days later to decide a place in Germany this summer.
Page said: “I’ve had a good conversation with Locks and he’ll be a part of it. We don’t know what days or for how long yet.
Locks and some of his heroes 🧡 pic.twitter.com/Lrvs96ECc5
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) March 13, 2024
“But he’s keen to come in and we’re keen to have him around the lads.
“I can only imagine how hard it was for Meps (Chris Mepham), Kieffer (Moore) and Brooksy (David Brooks) when they played that fixture and saw their mate on the floor like he was.
“I can only imagine how hard it would have been for them.
“They’ve had contact straight after and they’ve been in touch since, but it’ll be nice to have them all back in the group together.
“Forget football, just being together as good mates is powerful for them.”