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Lucas Radebe reflects on his health challenges

Eight years ago‚ legendary soccer star Lucas Radebe was diagnosed with a rare heart condition‚ which he believes was caused by the heartbreak of his first wife’s death.

The 48-year-old opened up to Healthy Times about the effect that his first wife‚ Feziwe Radebe’s cancer diagnosis and death had on his own health.

Fezi‚ as she was affectionately called‚ died in 2008. A year later the soccer star collapsed while on a treadmill and was later diagnosed with a rare heart condition.

“I didn’t know what happened to me. I didn’t feel anything. I was unconscious. I woke up in hospital.

“But I’m convinced it was related to my wife’s death. You think‚ as a man‚ you have to be strong for the kids. But inside? Inside‚ I was breaking. I didn’t know how I was going to cope. Fezi had helped me throughout my career. She helped make me strong. And then she just wasn’t there anymore‚” he said.

The former Bafana Bafana defender has since made a full recovery and has gotten back into a healthy lifestyle. He also met Thobela Silver who he married in a lavish traditional ceremony in 2015.

Although the pair have seven children between them‚ Lucas told TshisaLIVE earlier this year that he wouldn’t mind adding one more to the brood.

“Perhaps one more‚” laughed Lucas when asked if the couple had any plans to have a child together.

He added that the key to leaving a positive legacy lies in finding balance and living a good life.

“Some young men these days make relationships about themselves only‚ and it doesn’t work. Find balance in your life‚ live a good life and be a good person in your community. If you do this you will leave behind a positive legacy‚” he said.

 

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