Wales boss Rob Page backs Tom Lockyer in urging people to learn CPR
The 29-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest during Luton’s Premier League game at Bournemouth in December.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Wales boss Rob Page has backed Tom Lockyer’s calls for people to learn CPR after his squad acquired lifesaving skills three months before their team-mate collapsed.
Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during Luton’s Premier League game at Bournemouth in December and his heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds.
The 29-year-old was saved as medics rushed to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and provide early defibrillation.
Wales defender Lockyer has since supported the British Heart Foundation’s campaign for people to learn CPR skills, as well as raise funds for lifesaving research.
“The medical team came in and we did the class,” Page said of his squad undertaking a CPR and defibrillator training course in September that would take on special significance three months later.
“Tom is championing it at the minute, and rightly so.
“It just shows that there’s more to life than football.”
Lockyer returned to the scene of his on-pitch cardiac arrest on Wednesday for Luton’s re-arranged meeting with Bournemouth.
The 16-times capped central defender met medics who helped save his life and admitted that he “got a little bit emotional”, while describing them as “heroes”.
Lockyer has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and conceded it is “out of his hands” if he will ever play again.
But he will be part of Wales’ preparations next week as they bid to qualify for Euro 2024 and a third successive European Championship.
Wales host Finland in a play-off semi-final in Cardiff next Thursday, with the winners at home to Estonia or Poland five days later to decide a place in Germany this summer.
Page said: “I’ve had a good conversation with Locks and he’ll be a part of it. We don’t know what days or for how long yet.
“But he’s keen to come in and we’re keen to have him around the lads.
“I can only imagine how hard it was for Meps (Chris Mepham), Kieffer (Moore) and Brooksy (David Brooks) when they played that fixture and saw their mate on the floor like he was.
“I can only imagine how hard it would have been for them.
“They’ve had contact straight after and they’ve been in touch since, but it’ll be nice to have them all back in the group together.
“Forget football, just being together as good mates is powerful for them.”