'I assumed to myself that he’s gone' - Ricky Ponting recalls when he thought he had lost his son

Ricky Ponting, arguably, the greatest Australian batsman after the likes of Don Bradman. Along with his batting, Ponting was also acknowledged for his exemplary leadership skills. He led Australia to two Cricket World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007 in addition to as many Champions Trophy victories in 2006 and 2009.

While captaining Australia in 324 matches, Ponting led them to 220 victories, boasting an impressive win percentage of almost 68. Ponting grew up in Tasmania and paved his way to becoming one of the Australian greats.

In a recent interview, Ponting opened up about his life after retirement and meeting his spouse Rianna. The Australian stalwart also recalled the incident when he went through an enormous scare. Ponting’s youngest son Fletcher was only six weeks previous when he had meningitis.

When Ponting was off to playing golf, his wife Rianna called him and told about Fletcher screaming uncontrollably. The couple rushed him to the hospital and doctors feared that he’d had a stroke.

“He was simply six weeks previous when he had meningitis, which was terrifying for us. I used to be really enjoying golf, and Rianna rang me and stated, ‘You higher come residence rapidly. Fletcher’s simply screaming uncontrolled. We’ve acquired to go hospital’.

By the point we acquired to Emergency it was like he was unconscious, all of the life had fully gone out of his physique. The medical doctors requested if he had hit his head which we knew he hadn’t after which they took him away for a CT scan fearing he’d had a stroke,” said Ponting as quoted by Eagles Vine.

Ponting recalled the time as ‘horrific’ as there was a lot of uncertainty involved during his son’s recovery. When the doctors carried out an MRI, they found out that Fletcher had a small spot on his mind and all feared a mind injury. However, additional assessments were clear and the Ponting family proved to be very lucky.

I grabbed him and was shaking him: Ricky Ponting

However, the second enormous scare took place when Fletcher caught an infection in his abdomen. He’d picked up a hospital born MRSA infection and it was consuming all of the flesh away in his abdomen. He was unresponsive within the ICU for two and a half weeks.

Ponting revealed the instance when Fletcher’s coronary heart fee dropped to 30 bpm and he became unresponsive. Ponting noticed the machines going off in the hospital as he grabbed and shook his son. The infection had shut his entire physique down and it would have been a haunting experience for any father.

Ponting recalled, “Usually I’d stand over him, and he’d really feel my presence and open his eyes slightly bit. This evening, I stood over him, with all of the noise of the machines going off and grabbed him, and was shaking him, attempting to get him to reply, however, there was nothing. No motion. Nothing. He was simply limp. I assumed to myself, “He’s gone!”

“It’s the place your thoughts goes. Your physique goes numb. You might be helpless. Fortunately, Rianna wasn’t there, as a result of if she was, it might nonetheless be haunting her to this present day. There’s nothing scarier,” he added.