At just 44 years of age, former England international, Kieron Dyer, was apparently close to death before being given a life-saving liver transplant.
According to the Daily Mail, Dyer, who had playing stints at Ipswich Town, Newcastle United, West Ham, QPR and Middlesbrough, had contracted a rare disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Eleven weeks ago, Dyer was in Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and, according to the report, was being ravaged by the disease.
A friend who had visited him had apparently told his wife that he didn’t expect the former professional to survive and the picture below shows just how ill he was.
Fortunately, a donor liver was made available at the 11th hour and Dyer is now on the way to a full recovery.
Picture from Daily Mail Sport