Richmond forward Jack Higgins was told if anything went wrong during surgery on his brain, he may have become paralyzed, or even died.
The young Tigers gun has been recovering from brain surgery this pre-season but in a sign of his quick recovery has returned to contact training wearing a helmet.
Higgins was sent for surgery last July, after another brain bleed was discovered. It was the 20-year-old's second operation for bleeding on the brain last year.
In a chilling recount shared via Richmond's website, Higgins detailed the moment he discovered he was due for another round of surgery.
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“I cried a bit when I heard the news," he said. "It was really disappointing and really scary when the neurosurgeon told me ‘there’s a lot of risks in the surgery, if he touches the wrong thing I could be paralysed and could never player footy again and, even worse, I could die’. That (death) wasn’t really on my mind, but I had an unbelievable neurosurgeon.
“They cut my head open, (I had a) massive scar and was in hospital for two weeks.
“At the time there were some pretty bad things going through my head and thought I’d probably never play footy again, probably thought I’d never be able to walk again, I’d have to have a carer for the rest of my life.
“So to be out there training after I had the surgery about three months ago when I hardly could walk, hardly eat, hurt when I opened and closed my mouth – it’s pretty crazy.”
"I thought I'd probably never play footy again."
— Richmond FC 🐯🏆 (@Richmond_FC) January 31, 2020
After undergoing brain surgery three months ago, Jack Higgins opens up on his journey back to training - https://t.co/cAsA3VtxSP pic.twitter.com/oS9Or3FgvQ
Higgins began experiencing headaches while playing for the Tigers' VFL side, despite not suffering any serious head contact.
But after struggling to drive home after a game one evening, the young gun was sent in for another brain scan.
“I was playing last year with headaches through matches which was a bit of a hassle but I wasn’t getting any head knocks so I didn’t think it was concussion," Higgins said.
“One time after a match I just felt really bad and couldn’t drive home at night and felt absolutely terrible
“I went to the club the next day and felt decent and then the next day after that got scans."
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He said he woke up from the scan to find five doctors surrounding him, saying: "We need to get to hospital ASAP, we need to get something out of your brain.”
The 2018 Goal of the Year winner has now made a successful return to training wearing head protection.
Having previously stated his desire to line up for the premiers in the AFL's season opener against Carlton, Higgins looks on track.
“Hopefully I am doing all right. I am doing all right at training, slowly building myself back up," he said.
“I don’t know if I will wear (the helmet) in matches, but the doctor wants me to so I probably will. But if he says no it will be the first thing that comes off.”
