Sam Newman reveals he could have died from health emergency that saw him rushed in for surgery on his neck

AFL great Sam Newman has revealed he could have died after suffering a frightening health emergency that left him struggling to speak before he was rushed to hospital for surgery on his neck.

The 80-year-old Geelong Cats legend spent 10 days in The Alfred Hospital after experiencing two transient ischemic attacks, often referred to as mini strokes, while out in Port Melbourne with partner Sue Stanley.

Speaking about the ordeal in a video documenting his hospital stay, Newman admitted the outcome could have been very different without Stanley’s quick thinking.

‘If this had happened then, it might have been a different story,’ he said.

‘I suffered a medical episode and, if Sue hadn’t been with me and summonsed the help that she did, I probably wouldn’t be here.’

The vision then cut to the past, where Newman was suffering speak impairment which caused Sue to raise the alarm.

Doctors discovered a narrowed artery supplying blood to Newman’s brain and performed surgery to widen it

Newman admitted the health scare was serious and said the outcome could have been very different without quick help

Newman credits partner Sue Stanley’s quick thinking for calling an ambulance during the frightening medical episode

‘This is no laughing matter. Seriously, I think you’re having a stroke,’ she said. 

Newman was in his car and laughing, repeating: ‘I can’t speak, I can’t speak.’

Emergency services rushed him to hospital where doctors began a series of tests before determining he had suffered two mini strokes caused by a narrowing artery supplying blood to his brain.

‘A little fleck of blood went into my brain, and I lost speech temporarily, and I lost strength in both my arms, but that was very short lived, five minutes,’ Newman explained.

‘I have had a stroke, I have had two little strokes.’

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