Liverpool hero Ian Rush, 64, has spoken publicly for the first time since becoming seriously ill with the superflu and having difficulty breathing and being taken to hospital.
Liverpool legend Ian Rush feared he would die from the ‘super flu’. The 64-year-old is recovering after collapsing in the kitchen of his Chester home earlier this month.
In his first interview, Rush admitted: “It was scary and honestly I didn’t think I was going to survive. I woke up around 2am and went downstairs to make a cup of tea because I was having trouble breathing.”
“I wasn’t feeling too well anyway, so I had an appointment to see the doctor at 9am. Around 4am, I started to feel even worse.
“I started having trouble breathing and Carol (my fiance) called the ambulance. They came within 10 minutes and stayed with me for an hour and a half, which was amazing.
“They asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital, but I was discharged and felt much better so I decided to stay at home. However, within 10 minutes of them leaving I collapsed and had to call again for an ambulance.
read more: Mo Salah punches in the face as Egypt seals AFCON proceedings after VAR controversyread more: Liverpool could make seven transfers in January as Arne Slott faces dilemma
“This time it took quite a while for the ambulance to arrive. I was gasping for breath on the floor. Honestly, I thought this is not going to work. I thought it was over. I was panicking, but while I was waiting for another ambulance, Carol helped me calm down and showed me how to breathe easier and got me through it all. She was amazing.”
“When the ambulance people came, I was white on the floor, looking like I needed to be resuscitated. I needed oxygen to get me through the terrifying experience.
“Eventually they loaded me into an ambulance with blue lights on and took me to the Countess of Chester Hospital just a few miles away. I spent 48 hours in A&E and then three days on the general ward before being allowed to go home.
“Carol was at my bedside every night without fail. Liverpool Football Club were fantastic, providing support and love that made everything so much better. At the end of the day, they are a family club and that is important at times like this. LFC went above and beyond.”
Rush is Liverpool’s coveted ambassador and the club’s all-time leading scorer with 346 goals, but when he falls ill, all that becomes meaningless. “It certainly made me think more about life. There are three things I vowed to work on as soon as possible, but they will remain private.
“I always put things off too much. Well, this was a reality check and I will work things out in 2026 without hesitation. I feel as if I have been given a second chance and I am determined to make the most of it.”
It started in Dubai, where he is a regular visitor and a friend of ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Rush said: ‘I’m here in Dubai because I was told the best way to help my body heal was to enjoy the sunshine.
“In any case, I was scheduled to come to Dubai for the World Sports Summit, which was attended by various sports figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic. I came to talk about my career. It’s about 1 percent of sports stars who make a difference.
“This vision belongs to His Excellency Calfan Verhoor, who has given me great support as a good friend, and I am honored to be able to represent the 1% of top athletes and fly the LFC flag in this region.”
“The Sports Council here has given me access to some great facilities. I swim a lot. The facilities here are second to none and I feel a million times better. I do special breathing exercises three times a day.”
“Now that I’m relaxing, I think I’ll be back to normal when I get home next month. At the end of the day, we’re all human. No matter who you are, we’re all susceptible to getting sick. I’ve received some great messages that have really helped me.”
“Fortunately, I got my flu shot just before all of this. I was told that without the shot, things could have been much worse. So to anyone reading this, don’t hesitate to get your shot.”
Join our LFC WhatsApp community to keep up to date with the latest LFC news, opinion, transfer gossip and more. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
