Chris Cairns reckons he might not walk again after heart surgeries and spinal stroke

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns reckons he is extremely lucky to be alive after suffering an aortic dissection earlier this year. Cairns underwent as many as four separate heart surgeries earlier this year. Although those surgeries seemed successful, the talismanic cricket suffered complications that led to a spinal stroke. These complications even put Cairns life in severe danger.

Fortunately, however, the former Blackcaps skipper survived. The 51-year-old is currently confined to a wheelchair and is not sure whether he will be able to walk again or not. He’s not even absolutely certain about his chances of standing again. Although the recent year has been extremely challenging for Cairns, the former New Zealand international feels fortunate to stay alive.

We don’t know what happens going forward: Chris Cairns

“We don’t know what happens going forward. I don’t know if I’ll walk, I don’t know if I’ll stand. But I may stand. I may walk. The only option is to keep going. The thing is I’m not even just lucky to be [alive]. I’m very lucky,” Cairns said while speaking to Canberra Times.

“But we don’t know what will come back. The amazing thing going through this is just the perseverance to keep going in case it comes back. You’ve got to be prepared,” he added. Cairns is in a condition that he may have to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair and his wife Melanie says the couple are simply “grateful” that he is still alive.

“Rather than mourning a loss, we’re so grateful for what we have Chris didn’t just have a stroke one day and [was gone], he had two weeks of being so close to [death]. So we start from a place of gratefulness, and every bit we get back after that is just an extra. He’s here, he’s still him,” she said.

Meanwhile, Cairns is celebrated as one of the finest all-rounders to have represented New Zealand at the highest level. The right-handed batter could score runs at a brisk pace and his ability to take crucial wickets made him even more lethal. A veteran of 279 international games, Cairns retired from international cricket in 2006.