Chico on LW
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Chico breaks down as he recalls near-death experience during stroke

He said he feared he would die

Chico was overcome with emotion during a TV interview as he recalled the moment he suffered a stroke two weeks ago.

The X Factor star feared he would die in a car park after having a stroke while driving home from his job as a fitness instructor.

During Friday’s Loose Women, Chico cried as he said he thought he was just having a “spiritual experience” and called himself a “walking, talking miracle”.

Chico on Loose Women
Chico feared he would die after suffering a stroke following a fitness class (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Chico’s rep issue’s statement on his health

He said: “I had finished a fitness class and I got in the car and rang my wife and I’m talking to her. I’m driving and I’m losing touch with reality. I’m losing touch with the five senses and life.

“I pulled over and put the headlights on and I thought I was OK but I even tried to put the hazard lights on and I was putting the wipers on.”

Chico said he was completely unaware that he was having a stroke and thought he was having an “awakening” or “enlightenment”, which he said he has experienced before.

He continued: “That begins with a near-death experience. At that moment, I was [enjoying it].

“But it wasn’t [an awakening] because I was thinking, ‘where is the fun bit?’ I’m dying here.”

Chico on LW
Chico said he believed he was having an “awakening” or “enlightenment” (Credit: ITV)

Chico said he managed to get himself together but lost the use of his left arm and had slurred speech, while still completely unaware he was suffering a stroke.

He said: “I thought, ‘I’m here, in the middle of a car park, alone, and I’m just about to die.’ This was it. Everything had disappeared and there was no time or space.

“It was like a life review. I basically went, ‘oh I’ve not fulfilled my mission.”

Chico said as he was slumped in the car, he could see a photo of his children and he started thinking about saying goodbye to them and that he would miss huge milestones in their lives.

Breaking down in tears, he said: “I was looking at a picture of my daughter and I could see her turning into a video when she is getting married and I’m thinking, ‘I’m not going to be there.’

Chico on Loose Women
Nadia comforted Chico as he broke down in tears (Credit: ITV)

“I saw pictures of my son and I’m thinking I’m not going to be a granddad.”

Panellist Nadia Sawalha comforted the singer before Chico insisted he was OK to carry on the interview.

Managing to compose himself, he continued: “I looked up and I said, ‘I’m 47, I really don’t want to go just yet because I don’t feel like I’ve fulfilled my mission yet.

“‘If I close my eyes and don’t wake up again and I just want you to know I’ve done my best.'”

Chico said he woke up an hour and a half later and managed to head to a nearby pub for some food.

Chico on LW
Chico said he was completely unaware he had suffered a stroke (Credit: ITV)

He said he still didn’t realise the seriousness of what had happened to him and began his two hour journey home.

Chico explained: “I went to sleep and in the morning I still didn’t realise. I had to drive to Skegness for three hours, do another fitness class and I was literally out of the count when I got back home.

“I didn’t know it was a stroke. I am all about the fitness and I thought it was a virus.

“I went to the doctors on the Tuesday and he looked at the results of my MRI scan. There was a 50p sized clot on the right-hand side on my brain. As soon as the doctor came back he said. ‘This is a full-on stroke.'”

Chico on LW
Chico struggled to contain his emotions (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Chico reveals death fears following horror stroke

Chico, who wants to raise awareness of the symptoms of strokes, said he’s still suffering side effects including struggling to say full words and has a left hand twitch.

He added: “My life has been saved because I’m so fit, 100 percent. I feel 100 per cent within myself. My wife was not coping at all bless her.”

Chico’s doctor said in a statement to the show: “It showed a large stroke on the MRI, I even questioned if I had the right scan.

“He has made a remarkable recovery. I have never seen a case like this before in my career.”

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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