Former Wales prop Thomas held his own heart in his hands after life-saving surgery

Rugby star held his own heart in his hands after life-saving surgery14 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleEleri GriffithsBBC WalesRugby star held his own heart in his hands after life-saving surgeryThis story contains an image some people might find distressingA former Wales rugby international described the "crazy" and "very special" moment he held his own heart after a life-saving transplant.Rhys Thomas, 43, had suffered heart problems since experiencing a minor heart attack after playing for Dragons RFC in 2006.A second, more serious attack in 2012 led to him receiving a battery-powered left ventricular assist device (LVAD).After spending almost a decade on the UK transplant list as his health worsened, Thomas moved back to his hometown of Cape Town, South Africa, in 2024, saying the system "wasn't working" for him.Just 18 months later, he was offered three donor hearts in a single day in April, with doctors revealing after the surgery that without it, he might only have had two weeks left to live."It was quite a process in the last months, actually, for me to make peace with death because the call wasn't coming and my health was deteriorating," Thomas said. "I was filled, at moments, with fear - fear of dying, what I was leaving behind, my children, my partner, my friends and family."So it's just an absolute blessing, to be honest, that I'm still here - I feel very, very blessed."I can't really explain how it feels to have a transplant, to be walking around without my machine and to be alive... it's very special."Rhys ThomasThe former Wales rugby international held his own heart following the surgeryThomas said the major heart attack he had while playing for Scarlets in 2012 "changed everything". It led to his retirement and an emergency quadruple bypass surgery, which he said he was "very lucky to survive"."My health was really poor,&quo...