Chris Cairns said he was facing “probably the biggest challenge” of his life after being paralyzed after a stroke during a heart operation.
New Zealand cricket legend Chris Cairns has shared its status with fans through video. In which he thanked the surgeons, doctors, nurses for “saving my life”, acknowledging that there was “a long road ahead”.
The 51-year-old, one of the world’s top all-rounders in the early 2000s. He had life-saving surgery last month after a tear developed in the lining of a major artery.
The former Canberra-based international had an emergency operation in Sydney. But suffered a stroke during the procedure, leaving him unable to use his legs.
Just six weeks ago, I suffered a type-A aortic dissection, which essentially means there’s a tear in one of the heart’s major arteries,” he said.
“I had several surgeries and grafts and thankfully the specialists were able to save the heart.
“One complication that did arise was a spinal cord injury, which in itself would probably provide me with the biggest challenge. I’ve faced going forward in rehab.”
Cairns played 62 Tests between 1989 and 2004. Averaging 29.4 with the ball and 33.53 with the bat, including 87 sixes – a world record at the time.
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