Footy star's wife reveals he almost died after playing on after suffering potentially deadly injury that saw him lose two thirds of his blood
- Justin O'Neill suffered a ruptured spleen during a rugby match in May
- His wife Chantelle revealed that if he wasn't as physically fit he could have died
- O'Neill underwent three blood transfusion surgeries and two operations
The wife of an NRL star has revealed the terrifying moment her husband nearly died after suffering an on field injury.
Justin O'Neill was playing for the North Queensland Cowboys in Canberra in May when he suffered two broken ribs that punctured his spleen, resulting in internal bleeding.
The Maroon's star lost two thirds of his blood after he played the game in full with his wife Chantelle spending two months by his bedside as he recovered from the life threatening injury.
Justin O'Neill (pictured with wife Chantelle) was playing for the North Queensland Cowboys in Canberra in May when he suffered a ruptured spleen
The 28-year-old player was rushed to hospital the morning after the game, after a teammate noticed he was in and out of consciousness.
'Absolutely it was life-threatening when you lose that much blood,' Chantelle told the Courier Mail.
Mrs O'Neill had been staying in Melbourne with their two daughters when she received the 'horrible' call her husband was had been taken to hospital.
'We did know something was horribly wrong, I just wasn't sure what,' she said.
Ms O'Neill flew to Canberra that day after receiving terrifying messages from her husband who feared he was dying.
O'Neill underwent three blood transfusion surgeries after losing two thirds of his blood after the horror injury (pictured)
'He was texting me throughout the night, he even sent me a text saying 'I feel like I am dying'.'
O'Neill underwent immediate surgery to repair his spleen along with three blood transfusions.
He was placed in the intensive care unit for four days before being moved to the acute surgery ward for another two.
The couple were told by doctors that had O'Neill not been as physically fit or had such a strong heart, he could have died.
Chantelle O'Neill (pictured with Justin) spent two months by her husband's bedside nursing him back to health
Mrs O'Neill described the immense amount of stress that followed her husband's operation.
She stayed in the hospital with O'Neill every night until 1am before going home to her one-year-old and newborn.
A month later, O'Neill underwent another operation, spending six days in hospital after doctors discovered he had a twisted bowel from the solid blood that had accumulated in his stomach.
Two months after the horrifying ordeal O'Neill had lost ten kilos but was able to return to light exercise.
O'Neill was told that if he had not been as physically fit or had such a strong heart he could have died
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