The day that changed the life of Eric McAlister

ENGLISH VERSION

Eight month ago the former Team FOG Næstved-player, 27 years old Eric McAlister, experienced his worst nightmare. He was playing a match with his former team, Racing Luxembourg, when he tragically collapsed caused by heart problems.

He had been through a tough pre-season with the team, so basically he felt like, he was in really good shape. He  wasn’t worried about his body conditions.

He was playing very well, and his team was in attack. He was getting in position to take the rebound, when he could watch his teammate putting the ball in the basket. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he started to feel his heart beat harder and faster.

McAlister tried not focus on the symptoms, even though he felt uncomfortable. The match went on, and his condition was getting worse. His vision got blurry, he had problems breathing and when he reached the baselinediagn he collapsed.

“I was unconscious for a short time, and when I woke up, I had some teammates over me. The ambulance came, and when they took my blood pressure and pulse, they told me, I was on the verge of a cardiac arrest and my heart failing.”

“I was given a shot to slow my heart rate down, and by the time I got to the hospital,  my numbers were more normal. It was definitely a really scary time.”

“After it happened, I had to go see doctors and cardiologists to get a diagnosis. I went to three different doctors and went through numerous tests and scans.”

Not ready to accept the doctor’s judgement
The doctors weren’t able to make a diagnosis of what happened with McAlister. They just told him, that he wouldn’t be able to play anymore. Ultimately he was send back to USA by his team, where he continued to visit doctors and specialists.

The doctors back in USA were able to diagnose him with HCM (Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy), which is a heart condition, that is commom to athletes.

“Basically, my heart’s muscles and walls had thickened and made it difficult for blood to pump and flow through. The doctors back home told me, it was unlikely, I would be able to play at a professional level again, but there was a possibility. I tried to come to terms with not being able to play anymore, but after a month I decided to try to train again.”

“Physically, I was in really bad shape from not exercising for a few months, but I worked my way back. The bigger issue was mentally, because I was very nervous to strain myself and my heart to try to get back in shape.”

“I was also dealing with depression at the time because of my frustrations with the whole situation. Now, that I am back in shape and playing, I have not had any issues since. I have to be really careful with what I eat and how I exercise, but I have been healthy since, so I am happy about that.”

The struggle to get back
The same day, as Eric McAlister collapsed, he was released from the hospital, but he still had to visit doctors every day for 2-3 months. Therefore he search for initiatives, that could help him recover faster.

“I was taking medication to help and did some very light exercising while paying attention to my diet. The club sent me to the doctors in Luxembourg, which weren’t really helpful, so really all of my progress was made back in Ameria with the doctors there. It was a really long and slow proces, but it worked out.”

Now McAlister is back playing basketball again. The sport, he love so much. He has returned Down Under playing for Sunshine CR in the australian QBL (Queensland Basketball League), one of many regional leagues in australian basketball, in which he has played before.

So far he has played 9 games, where he has averaged 22 minutes, 15.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. It is like a miracle, that McAlister is already playing at such high level again.

“It feels great to be back playing again. My goal, after playing in Australia in 2016, was to get back here and stay permanently, so I was able to make that happen, and I am working on naturalizing.”

“The whole experience gave me a new appreciation, not only for basketball, but for life as well. Things can change so quickly, and you need to be thankful for everything that you can experience in life.”

“In my everyday I don’t really have any reservations. I just have to be mindful of what I can do and eat (very limited red meat, but I try to avoid it all together, not much alcohol, low sugar etc.), and make sure my stress levels are relatively low.”

“The experience, as a whole, has definitely changed my life thinking, that I could potentially die on the basketball court to now, enjoying everything life has to offer and being extremely appreciative of everything that I can.”

We appreciate Eric McAlisters willingsness to share his story.