Dapo Mebude has opened up on the struggles he has faced battling back from the horrors of a life-threatening car crash to kick-start his career with Dunfermline.
The former Rangers and Watford striker has confessed his initial thoughts were he was ‘lucky to be alive’ after spending five days in a coma following the freak accident in Belgium back in January.
After being rushed to hospital in Bruges, the 23-year-old underwent emergency surgery to stem bleeding around his heart as his family flew from Scotland to be at his bedside.
“Immediately, you’re probably thinking I’m lucky to be alive,” candidly admits Mebude, who recently signed a season-long deal with Dunfermline.
“I had the accident and I had a contusion, which is like a bruising, around my chest and heart area.
“They thought it was actually worse than what it was but they had to open me up and suck some of the bruising away.
“I had some of that done and I was in a coma for five days and in the hospital for quite a bit.
‘They probably feared the worst’
“I had good support from my family and my girlfriend. I’ve just had good people around me to get me through it.
“I always say I think the accident was worse for them than it was for me, because I was in a coma straight away and they probably feared the worst.
“Some days were obviously a lot harder than others and sometimes you’re thinking whether you will get back to yourself, whether you can do normal things, I suppose.
“It’s crazy because you can really go from thinking, ‘am I even okay?’. Like, I can’t get out of bed.
“But I’m quite driven and quickly my attention changed straight back towards being a footballer again and when can I get back on the pitch.”
As if the crash, which happened on the way to a friendly match, and its aftermath were not enough to deal with, Mebude’s club, Oostende, then went out of business at the end of the campaign.
The plan was for the Scotland U/21 cap to make his comeback during pre-season – but then he needed a new club.
“It’s been a weird year,” adds Mebude understatedly. “With some of the things I’ve been through this year, I’m just taking every day as it comes and I’m really happy to be here.
Mebude: ‘I really want to repay them’
“I just want to thank the club for giving me an opportunity. I really want to repay them and hopefully everyone sees the best of me here.”
After paperwork delayed the registration of the deal he signed with Dunfermline, Mebude finally made his debut as a late substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Airdrie.
“I’m not where I want to be right now in terms of my fitness and sharpness,” he confesses. “But I think I can still add something.
“Hopefully over the course of the season, the club can see the best of me.”
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