Aaron Ramsdale opens up on personal tragedy and thanks Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his support
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has opened up on the heartbreak and trauma of his wife suffering a miscarriage, but thanked Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his support during the tragic time.
The 25-year-old returned to Arsenal with the Gunners looking to keep up their challenge for the Premier League title, but Ramsdale said Arteta put his personal life first, and he is tremendously grateful to him for that.
Writing for The Players’ Tribune, Ramsdale explained: ‘There are things that go on in our lives that the public has no idea about, and the past year has been an emotional rollercoaster for me and my family. After the high of climbing to the top of the Premier League table and going off to my first World Cup, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our first child. Mikel gave me a few extra days off after the World Cup, so we went on a brief holiday. It was genuinely the happiest time of our lives. And yeah … there’s no easy way to say this, but I feel like it’s important that people know.…
A Tragic Flight Home
On the flight home, my wife had a miscarriage. There’s really no way that I can describe the pain of that six-hour flight back to London, even now. I just want people out there to know that they’re not alone if they’re going through it themselves.
When we got back, I didn’t tell many people what happened. Only my family, my teammates, and of course Mikel. He was fantastic about everything. Even in the middle of the title race, with so much pressure on the club, he asked me if I needed some time off to deal with everything. Mikel went above and beyond to make sure me and my family were OK.
The Power of Football
Remarkably Ramsdale was back on the pitch and performing well soon after, seeing football as the best way to not dwell on the tragedy.
‘Three days later, we were playing Spurs in the derby, and for me that was the only way to get my mind off things,’ he said. ‘Football has always been my escape. I told the manager I wanted to play. It couldn’t have been a better night. We won 2–0 under the floodlights, and our away fans were going absolutely ballistic. If you watch the match back, you can see me beaming at the final kick of the ball.’
The Support of Mikel Arteta
Ramsdale is thankful for Arteta’s support during this difficult time, saying: ‘For me, that’s a manager. We don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. We have some very florid conversations about football sometimes. But he cares so much about his players, and he forever has my respect for how he handled our grief.’
Conclusion
Ramsdale’s story is a powerful reminder of how football can be a source of comfort and strength in times of difficulty. His story also serves as an example of how important it is for managers to be understanding and supportive of their players in times of personal hardship.
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