AFL legend Sam Newman has revealed he could have died after suffering two mini strokes that led to emergency surgery on his neck. The 80-year-old Geelong Cats icon spent 10 days in The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne after experiencing transient ischemic attacks while out with his partner, Sue Stanley.
Newman credited Stanley with saving his life by quickly calling an ambulance when he began struggling to speak. 'If Sue hadn't been with me and summonsed the help that she did, I probably wouldn't be here,' he said in a video documenting his hospital stay.
Doctors discovered a narrowed artery supplying blood to Newman's brain and performed surgery to widen it. 'A little fleck of blood went into my brain, and I lost speech temporarily, and I lost strength in both my arms,' Newman explained. He underwent an MRI, ultrasound, and other tests before the operation.
Despite the seriousness of the health scare, Newman maintained his trademark humour, joking about the hospital equipment. He also praised the staff at the public hospital, saying, 'The staff are fantastic.' Newman has since returned home and is recovering.
