A LOVING mum has told how her 10-year-old son “basically died on the pitch” after he collapsed during soccer training.
Young schoolboy Jamie McGettigan was taking part in training in border town Strabane with his local club when he suddenly dropped unconscious.
His life was saved and his mum Elaine Donaghey said: “He’s my wee, walking miracle.”
She added: “I got a phone call. To get that phone call as a parent is absolutely terrifying. Jamie basically died on the pitch.
“It was like something out of a horror film. But someone was clearly looking over him that night.”
When Elaine’s son Jamie collapsed, it sparked a frantic effort by staff to save his life in the town neighbouring Lifford.
A quick CPR response revived the youngster before he was rushed to hospital — with doctors later praising the life-saving intervention as “absolutely perfect” .
Recalling the terrifying ordeal from last Wednesday, mum Elaine recalled the incident happened on the one evening neither she nor Jamie’s dad were at training.
She said: “Normally both I and Jamie’s dad would have been there, but it just so happened on that particular night, neither of us could make it.
“I was called into late shift at work and Ryan, who is normally one of the coaches, was looking after Jamie’s sister Lily.
“I got a call and I knew from that moment that something was wrong. The caller was almost in tears.
“I was told they had just completed two laps of the pitch and Jamie just collapsed.
“He was grey and his lips were blue. I immediately dropped everything at work and headed straight to Melvin in tears.”
Vital CPR was performed before Jamie was taken to hospital and Elaine said her family will now be forever grateful to those who saved her son’s life.
Brilliant Sion Swifts player Jamie was allowed home after several days in hospital where he was fitted with a heart monitor.
Elaine said: “I can’t thank those present on the night enough for what they did.
“The doctor told me afterwards that whoever performed CPR on Jamie did it absolutely perfectly and were instrumental in saving his life and our family are so grateful for everything.”