RAUL JIMENEZ says it is ‘a miracle’ he is still alive.
In his first major interview since suffering a horror skull fracture against Arsenal last November, the Wolves striker praised medics whose swift actions saved his life and career.
A sickening accidental mid-air collision with defender David Luiz left Jimenez unconscious and requiring oxygen on the Emirates pitch.
Medics raced to the stricken Wolves striker’s side and stabilised him, applying an oxygen mask and easing him on to a stretcher before speeding him to St Mary’s Hospital, five miles away.
There, Sophie Camp and her neurosurgery team performed the life-saving operation to relieve the pressure on his brain — actions which eventually helped Jimenez make his long-awaited and miraculous Premier League return against Leicester on Saturday.
The Mexican star, 30, said: “They told me it was a miracle I was there at all. When the skull fractured the bone broke — and there was a bit of bleeding inside the brain.
“It was pushing the brain to the inside and that is why the surgery had to be so quick.
“It was a really good job by the surgeon and doctors, and now, thankfully, I am back. I’m lucky to be alive. What happened to me shows we have to be prepared. It can happen any time.”
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Mercifully, Jimenez was oblivious to the drama immediately before, during and after his life-and-career-threatening collision.
That was until he begged Molineux’s backroom team to supply him with a video of the incident, from every available angle, so he could watch it unfold from his hospital bed!
During his first major interview since that fateful 2-1 Wolves victory, the Mexican revealed: “I don’t remember the Arsenal match. Not at all.
“I remember arriving at the stadium and leaving the dressing room with my team-mates to see the pitch.
“Then we returned to the dressing room, I remember that. Then it’s like, lights off. I remember nothing.
“The next thing, I was waking up in the hospital. I can remember some other things from the hospital but nothing is really clear.”
Jimenez’s first concern once he regained consciousness following surgery was for those closest to him.
While he was being operated on, his partner, Daniela, was whisked from Wolverhampton to London with their baby girl, Arya, having witnessed the drama unfold on TV.
However, Covid restrictions were necessary to protect the striker in his fragile state, post-op.
Jimenez, 30, said: “It was more difficult for Daniela, at home with the baby, calling everyone to find out how I was but they were at the game.
“They were not allowed to visit me, not even for five minutes.
“They spent two nights in London and we were in contact by video until she had the opportunity to visit me safely again before going home.”
Left to his own devices, Jimenez turned to his electronic devices to shed light on the darkest night of his career.
He added: “I remember messaging our players’ group on WhatsApp and saying I was awake and the surgery had been really good.
“I congratulated them because of the Arsenal result but they told me ‘it doesn’t matter, the good thing is that you are safe, that is our real win’.
“Later, in hospital I had the physio send me videos of the incident from every angle. Because I couldn’t remember, it was like it never happened.
“I’ve never been easily scared. Sometimes you see videos of a broken ankle or a tibia and you feel it. Even though it’s not happening to you, you still feel it in your body.
“This time it was me. It was shocking. The impact. Then I hit the floor.
“But it didn’t scare me. I wanted even more video clips, to see different aspects, who was marking who? If I didn’t make those two steps to attack the ball at the last minute, what made me jump backwards?”
The one thing Jimenez could not analyse immediately was the fear in his team-mates’ eyes and their frantic concern for him.
He explained: “The clips I watched in hospital were only ten seconds long.
“It was only when I was on holiday I saw a video on YouTube of what happened afterwards and the reaction.
“I never considered not playing again. I always felt, like any other injury, I’d recover and go back to doing what I love to do.
“The doctors told me I was lucky to be alive and, even if it was only a small chance — one per cent or more — there was always the chance I’d never play again. But I was always confident.
“It’s taken longer than I expected to heal and the last month of the season was the worst because I was fully fit.
“But the MRI scans revealed it wasn’t ready yet and I was reminded it’s a miracle I’m here at all.”
Former Chelsea and Arsenal keeper Petr Cech, who suffered a similar injury in 2006, helped Jimenez in his recovery.
Jimenez revealed: “Early on Petr texted me.
“We went to a game together and he brought his helmet and we worked with the doctor on a prototype headband.
“The skull fracture did take a little longer than we expected to heal but it’s a miracle to be here with you now.”
Jimenez returned to training for a casual winter stroll initially, before a gradual return with sponge balls and plastic footballs to practice heading.
It has been a long road — with a padded headband to protect him now.
He added: “If it was up to me I wouldn’t use it.
“But the doctors say for now, it’s more dangerous for me than any other player, so I’ve got to stay in line. It’s been refined so often I hardly notice it.
“Now I can live life normally. But if we’re crossing and finishing I limit the headers and use my feet more.
“When I resumed training it was non-contact against me and I felt I was the best player in the world — I was dribbling past everyone!
“Before my first proper header I was cautious — not scared — but nothing bad happened and the next header was just like all the others before.
“I can’t remember who put in the first big challenge on me — maybe Conor Coady, Romain Saiss or Willy Boly — that must be a good thing.
“Daniela and my family support my return. They are happy and confident because I’m doing what I love.”
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