Norwich City fan meets Jonathan Rowe after goal prompts cardiac arrest

Norwich City fan Andy Wall meets winger Jonathan Rowe, who scored the goal that led to his cardiac arrest in August

A football fan said it was "surreal" to meet the player whose goal led to his cardiac arrest.

Norwich City supporter Andy Wall's heart stopped for more than 10 minutes after Jonathan Rowe equalised against Hull City.

Now recovering, he met the Canaries winger at a signing session at Norwich department store Jarrolds.

"I asked him if anyone had ever had a cardiac arrest when he's scored a goal - I think that was a no!" he said.

Mr Wall, of Poringland, near Norwich, was taken ill at Carrow Road on 5 August.

"It was the opening day of the season against Hull and Jonny scored, and unfortunately I had a cardiac arrest and I was without a heartbeat for 10-15 minutes," he said.

"My wife and children were there and they had to get all the paramedics to come and help.

"Those great people and everyone at Carrow Road saved my life that day so I'm very grateful to everybody."

This goal by Jonathan Rowe prompted Mr Wall's cardiac arrest

"I think there's like a 10% chance of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival.

"I'm in rehab at the moment but I'm doing really well - I'm here on my own today seeing Jonny so I'm really pleased with my progress and where I am today."

'The story is crazy'

Mr Wall surprised Rowe, the Canaries' top scorer this season, by taking along the Canaries shirt that had to be cut open on the day he suffered his medical episode.

"I didn't expect to see him today but I've seen it on social media and the story is crazy," Rowe told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"I'm glad he kept the shirt that he had on the day; it's a real souvenir for him to keep and a meaningful thing for him to frame up in house. I'm happy for him; happy to see him doing well. He looks healthy."

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City went on to beat Hull 2-1 through a last-minute winner from Adam Idah.

"I'm pretty sure he was chuffed with the result when he woke up - big up to the paramedics for doing a great job getting him back and everyone who played a part that day," said Rowe.

Rowe signed Mr Wall's shirt: "To Andy, alive and kicking!"

Mr Wall said: "It's all very surreal. It's a happy ending, isn't it, to a very difficult and serious situation and it's great I can come here to get that shirt that was cut open signed by Jonny.

"I'll take it away and it'll be a memento for me - it's my fight-for-survival shirt."

Mr Wall now has to be more careful when following his club.

This forced him to take a difficult decision ahead of last weekend's East Anglian derby against Ipswich.

"I didn't watch it on the basis of my heart - I waited for the score at the end because I thought it wouldn't be good for me, so I followed the advice," he said.

"I just kept seeing little flash-ups on my phone but the heart was pumping for sure!"

He is now fitted with an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) that should detect and stop any irregular heartbeats.

"I'm really in a good place right now after what was looking pretty bleak at the time," he said.

Having already returned to Carrow Road to thank the medics who saved his life, he now hopes to be back among the crowd to see City challenge for a play-off place.

"Not much would keep me away from Carrow Road - it's my second home and I'm grateful to be back amongst everybody," he said.