West Coast’s great Peter Matera is “lucky to be alive” after suffering a “severe” heart attack while cutting firewood at his home in Victoria.
According to his younger brother Phil, he himself is a great Eagles goal scorer and five times the club’s top scorer, if it weren’t for Matera’s wife, Suzy, he might not have survived Sunday.
“The doctor said he was lucky to have someone with him and that they could take him straight to the hospital,” Phil Matera told 7NEWS.
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“He was cutting firewood and had a few pains in his chest and luckily he wasn’t on the tractor as he usually does.”
It was Matera’s wife, Suzy, who was nearby when the 53-year-old collapsed.
According to Adrian Barich of 7NEWS, it was Suzy’s actions that saved Matera’s life.
“Fortunately, his partner Suzy was close; if I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been able to do it, ”said Barich.
“He was in a lot of pain and said he might not have survived a flight to Melbourne.”
Matera was rushed 90 kilometers to a hospital in Bendigo, where he remains in serious condition in the ICU.
Matera’s son Jordan and his brother Phil have already left Perth to stay by the bedside of the great Eagles.
Matera suffered four blockages and had to put on two stents.
The great Eagles had to return to WA to take part in the club’s 30th anniversary celebrations for the first edition in 1992, where he won the Norm Smith Medal for his five-goal effort.
“I thank everyone (everyone) for their support and good wishes,” Phil said.
“(Peter) told me last week how excited I was to be back at the meeting.”
Teammates Glen Jakovich and Peter Matera celebrate a victory at Subiaco Oval.Source: News Limited
Matera, a two-time South Fremantle first-team player, played 253 games for the West Coast in a career spanning more than a decade.
He is five times All Australian and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
He also finished runner-up in the 1994 Brownlow Medal.
In a statement, West Coast said Matera was receiving “best care” while recovering at the hospital.
“The club is saddened by this news and wishes Peter a speedy and complete recovery,” a spokesman said.
“Our thoughts are with Peter, Suzy and their family, who have called for their privacy to be respected right now.”
Dale Weightman, Peter Matera, Paul Barnard, Gary Sweet and Mick Martyn play EJ Whitten Legends. Source: News Corp Australia
Matera is not the first major sportsman to suffer a heart attack in recent months.
Cricket players Rod Marsh and Shane Warne sadly suffered fatal heart attacks earlier this year.
The identity of WA cricketer Ryan Campbell remains in recovery after being placed in an induced coma after his heart attack last month.