Voss: They’ve given me really strong medication. These are the normal by-effects. I’m lucky the doctors tried everything to keep me alive. I’m really grateful for that. Retrospectively, I have to say that the medication, by-effects included, was a blessing in disguise.
DFB.de: What happened exactly back then?
Voss: I was hospitalised for a minor procedure. They sent me home after that, but I noticed I was feeling worse from day to day. I still remember that I had to go back to hospital on 30th June, the day of the round of 16 fixture against Algeria. I just couldn’t bear it anymore. I assumed that I could go home the same day, or perhaps after one or two days the latest.
DFB.de: That didn’t work out…
Voss: No, they diagnosed a bacterial infection. Instead of improving, it just got worse. They put me in a medically-induced coma for a couple of days. The problem was that one organ after another was failing. Like I said, the doctors were about to give up on me. They transferred me to the Düsseldorf University Hospital. Only a life-support machine kept me alive. At that point, the doctors informed my wife Daniela that it could be over any minute. Obviously, this was a nightmare for her. My son Noah was five then and Amelie not even a year old.
DFB.de: What happened then?
Voss: My heart was beating with about 20 per cent of its usual power. Most of my organs had failed. However, my heart slowly recovered. The doctors told me it’s possible that I just had an immense will to live and I was also in a very good physical shape. Slowly, my organs started working again and after three days they the began to wake me up from my coma.
DFB.de: How did you feel then?
The doctors were about to give up hope, when the former Under-21 international Andreas Voss was fighting death for a couple of days last summer. A bacterial infection caused the 35-year-old's heart to beat with a mere 20 per cent of its normal power. As a result, several of his organs started failing.
“The doctors told my wife that it could be over any minute,” says Voss, who has two little children at home (Noah, 5 and Amelie, 1). His recovery was a miracle. By now Voss is feeling well enough to start a coaching job with Viktoria Goch in the Landesliga (7th tier of German football) this summer.
In an interview with DFB.de the former Bayer Leverkusen, VfL Wolfsburg and MSV Duisburg player speaks about facing death, the dramatic events and missing the World Cup in Brazil.
DFB.de: Mr. Voss, first things first: How are you feeling today?
Andreas Voss: Considering the circumstances, really well. I really can’t complain. You should remember, just a few months ago the doctors said that I was unlikely to survive. They told my wife to expect the call, saying that it’s over any minute. In light of this, I’m happy to live with the limitations that I’m likely to carry with me for the rest of my life.
DFB.de: What kind of limitations?
Voss: Mostly that I’m hard of hearing in both ears. This is why I have hearing aids. Apart from that some sections of my skin have died and need to be replaced. I will have to undergo surgery for that. Moreover, I’m not quite back to a basic level of fitness yet, but I’m working on that.
DFB.de: Why are there all these repercussions?
Voss: They’ve given me really strong medication. These are the normal by-effects. I’m lucky the doctors tried everything to keep me alive. I’m really grateful for that. Retrospectively, I have to say that the medication, by-effects included, was a blessing in disguise.
DFB.de: What happened exactly back then?
Voss: I was hospitalised for a minor procedure. They sent me home after that, but I noticed I was feeling worse from day to day. I still remember that I had to go back to hospital on 30th June, the day of the round of 16 fixture against Algeria. I just couldn’t bear it anymore. I assumed that I could go home the same day, or perhaps after one or two days the latest.
DFB.de: That didn’t work out…
Voss: No, they diagnosed a bacterial infection. Instead of improving, it just got worse. They put me in a medically-induced coma for a couple of days. The problem was that one organ after another was failing. Like I said, the doctors were about to give up on me. They transferred me to the Düsseldorf University Hospital. Only a life-support machine kept me alive. At that point, the doctors informed my wife Daniela that it could be over any minute. Obviously, this was a nightmare for her. My son Noah was five then and Amelie not even a year old.
DFB.de: What happened then?
Voss: My heart was beating with about 20 per cent of its usual power. Most of my organs had failed. However, my heart slowly recovered. The doctors told me it’s possible that I just had an immense will to live and I was also in a very good physical shape. Slowly, my organs started working again and after three days they the began to wake me up from my coma.
DFB.de: How did you feel then?
DFB.de: How did you feel after?
Voss: At first I didn’t have a clue what was wrong. My wife then slowly confronted me with the reality. Later, I looked at pictures and that was really quite a shock. It was only then that I became aware of the magnitude of it all. I still cannot comprehend how this could have happened.
DFB.de: How has your son dealt with it all?
Voss: My wife talked to him. As he is five-years-old, he of course noticed almost everything. He asked lots of questions: “What happens if daddy doesn’t wake up again? Is he dead?” How do you answer that? Only after five weeks was I allowed to see my kids once again. That was quite extreme. We wanted to spare them having to look at me while I lay there connected to numerous tubes.
DFB.de: Have you slowly been returning to everyday life?
Voss: Yes, gradually. The whole thing basically changed me. I have become more relaxed. And I am thankful that I am well once again. I am also grateful for the overwhelming feedback that I have had from those in football. It was on all the TV channels and it was unbelievable how many people have, and still do, given me comfort. That helps me a lot. Between Christmas and New Year I was able to see all of that while at rest. That was quite touching. But now I must look forward once again. Since the beginning of the year I realized that it takes a while for things to get back to normal and that is a good thing.
DFB.de: How did you come to realize that?
Voss: I can give you a concrete example, I am crazy about football. And I completely missed the second half of the World Cup. I therefore did not see one of the best moments in the history of German football. My wife recorded the games but I have not had enough time to watch them. Recently I watched the film “Die Mannschaft” (a film about the German World Cup winning team) with my father-in-law. That was emotional in many ways and I am looking forward to finally being able to stand on the pitch once again.
DFB.de: As a coach at the sixth division club Viktoria Goch?
Voss: In the traditional sense at MSV Duisburg. But yes, above all as a coach. Actually, I should have started there already in the summer but then things turned out differently. I have now agreed with those responsible that I will start there in the new season.
DFB.de: What is possible there?
Voss: Firstly, it is important that we stay in the league but that should only be our short-term target. A few years ago, the club was already playing in the fourth division and that has to be our aim. I don’t want to be in the sixth division forever. That is not my aspiration. We want to build something with Viktoria Goch.
DFB.de: What are your personal targets?
Voss: As I said, in the short-term I would like to return to the pitch. I realized that I am missing football. I have not set myself any limits. I would like to take part in the 2017 FIFA teacher-training course. We’ll have to wait and see about anything more than that.
