Copyright dailystar
Manchester United legend Edwin van der Sar was enjoying a family holiday in Croatia when his life took a sudden turn. The Dutch shot-stopper , who his celebrating his 55th birthday on Wednesday (October 29), woke up on the last day of his trip to Croatia with a pain in his neck and after throwing up in the toilet he knew he had to see a doctor. "I felt like a certain thing in my neck, the back of my shoulder blades," he told Sky Sports . "I threw up in the toilet and I came back in the room where the curtains were open and I couldn't have the light in my eyes. "I went to lay in my bed, and I said 'I need to call a doctor, I don't feel well'. That turned out to be a brain haemorrhage. "It was a bit of a shock to be fair because you all think you're healthy, you're strong and, of course you're not as fit anymore as during your career. "But you never expect that something like that would happen to a fit 52-year-old man." Van der Sar was unaware of the outpouring of love when he was hospitalised - spending a week in Croatia before he was moved back to his native Netherlands to an ICU unit in The Hague. It was only after he left ICU, Van der Sar was handed his phone by his wife, Annemarie. It was Annemarie, who herself suffered a brain haemorrhage, that recognised the signs in Croatia. Van der Sar is a legend at Old Trafford, signing on the dotted line in 2005 after four years with Fulham, before going on to win four Premier League titles and the Champions League with the Red Devils. He would make more than 150 Premier League appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson before hanging up his boots in 2011 and moving into the board room at Ajax. "When you're dealing with health issues," he continued. "When you're working, you think 'well, my work is the most important thing. I need to make the interviews, we need to make sure we sign the best players, we have to lead the club and everything'. "That's not really important if your health is in danger or comes in place. So, in that part, I think I'm enjoying life, taking things as it comes." When asked if he'd fully recovered in January, Van der Sar replied: "I think so, yes. Probably some things changed in my thinking, but that's only, for example, my wife and my children, they notice that. "But let's say a conversation like this is not a problem." Van der Sar further opened up about his health earlier this month at the Masters Expo , admitting he's "no longer in a hurry and no longer burdened by all sorts of problems" adding his "life has become more relaxed." He's yet to turn return to work, but didn't rule out the possibility if an opportunity was to present itself - and he's undertaken promotional trips to the Far East. "It happens to other healthy people too," Van der Sar said reflecting on his past 12 months. "But it was clear that I wanted a quieter life, but this was a very abrupt stop after my retirement."
