Former England and Tottenham star Paul Gascoigne has admitted he thought that he was going to die, during his latest period in rehab to beat alcohol addiction.
Gascoigne returned to England on Saturday following a month at a clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. He spent some time in intensive care, and doctors admitted it was the worst detox they had ever seen. The player told The Sun newspaper that the shock of giving up alcohol sent his body into seizure:
“Three doctors didn’t think I would make it”.
“It has got to inspire me to never let this happen again. I’ve come through that – death. I was dead.”
He went on to say: “I thought I was on my way out. I looked like a corpse. I was a total wreck.”
Gascoigne,45, said he woke up in intensive care strapped to the bed, and genuinely feared for his life during the hours and days that followed. He said that he is thankful to still be alive and now plans to stay clear of alcohol.
He was admitted to rehab following a charity appearance in Northampton, where he broke down on stage in front of hundreds of fans, and started to cry.
