By Kevin Murphy
Sunday Game host Michael Lyster has spoken for the first time about his near death experience a number of weeks ago.
The Galway native revealed how he was fortunate to leave his mobile phone in a friend’s car following a day out in his native province.
Lyster suffered a heart attack and was rushed from his home to hospital after a game of golf at Portumna three weeks ago.
Speaking to Sean O’Rourke today, the popular face of Gaelic Games outlined the fortunate circumstances which ultimately saved his life.
“I had been playing golf down in Portumna and after golf, I got a lift back with my mate Vincent Hogan of the Irish Independent. He dropped me home and it turns out I left my mobile phone in his car.
“I just realised when he was gone so I rang him from the house phone and said ‘hogey’ I have left my phone in the car, would you mind just swinging back and he said ‘yeah grand, I will be there in a minute or two’.
“Between him getting back to the house, I opened the door but I had collapsed in the hallway. So he was greeted with the sight of me lying in the floor.
“He shouted to my wife who was in bed, it was about midnight at this stage. He shouted for Anne and she started CPR immediately and Vincent called for an ambulance.”
Thankfully, the frightening ordeal for Lyster and his family resulted in a happy ending and his wife’s ability to perform CPR ultimately saved his life.
“It just goes to show you. The fact that she knew what to do kept me alive because I would have died and ten minutes would have been too long.”
Lyster revealed he hopes to be back on our screens in a “couple of few weeks” time.