Duffy is just happy to be alive

The youth, who broke into Everton’s first team squad last season, was left fighting for his life two months ago after being hurt in a collision during a practice game with the Republic of Ireland squad.

Fortunately, he is now making a full recovery from rupturing the hepatic artery close to his liver. At first, he thought he’d broken a rib - not realising that the injury would leave him close to death.

Doctors discovered almost two thirds of his entire blood supply had leaked into Duffy’s abdomen; they also acknowledged that the quick actions of the Republic’s medical team who did not move him on the pitch saved his life.

In an interview with evertontv, posted on the official Everton website, evertonfc.com. Duffy said: “I can't thank them enough, I've thanked them so many times and I'll thank them again for being so good at their jobs and saving me. I'm so happy. I appreciate everything they've done for me.

“It's made me realise how important it is now to get a second chance at it. I can't describe it, that I'm still here. I'm just so happy. It’s hard to tell people what it feels like because no one else knows I nearly died. So I just have to live life now, and don't take anything for granted.

“When I woke up about two days later they told me everything that they did and what happened. It was a weird thing. When it happened, I tried to get up straight away and the pain was just so sore, and then the doctor came on and I just said I couldn't breathe - he saw I couldn't breathe - and then he took me off.

“When I was in the ambulance I was just getting sharp, sharp pains in my chest so that just made it worse and I couldn't drink anything. I just blanked out from there, then I woke up and it was all done. From that moment in the ambulance, I just collapsed.”

Duffy said the surgeon had originally told him he would be playing again by Christmas, but that he was already running.

He also told evertontv that he only realised how serious his condition was when surgeons explained it to him, and when he first saw the 10-inch scar on his chest.

“I was just in shock to be fair because I didn't think it was serious when it happened. I thought it was maybe a cracked rib or something because of the sharp pain. But when I woke up and everyone was there - it was a bit crazy.

“I didn't see the scar for about two weeks because it was all wrapped up and then I saw it when the staples came out. It was frightening.”

Duffy is training under the supervision of Everton’s medical staff and hopes to be able to join in full training with his team mates in four to six week.