Victim of a cardiac arrest on the climb up Rue Saint-Pierre during the 2023 edition, Wilfried Depuille decided to return to the Foulées de la Cathédrale, this Saturday, June 29. “To finish my race. »
To close the loop in order to move on. To ward off fate, so to speak. It is in this state of mind that Wilfried Depuille, 44, will return, Saturday evening, to the Foulées de la cathédrale. The same place where he almost lost his life, last year. Victim of a cardiac arrest while climbing rue Saint-Pierre, the footballer from Ymonville owed his salvation to the intervention of a formidable rescue chain.
A year later, after a double bypass, he is ready to wear sneakers again. At a leisurely pace, under medical supervision, all the same, and with a touch of apprehension, of course.
When did you decide to return to the Foulées? Almost right after my accident. I didn’t finish the race, and that’s not possible. I need to close the parenthesis, no matter what time I do. I’m going there to say “it’s done”. Last year, a lot of runners passed me by, worried because I wasn’t in great shape. So it’s a wink to come back, and to show that you can do sport again, even after heart surgery.
There is a little apprehension. I hope it won’t be too hot on Saturday. I don’t know yet if I will do the hills by jogging or walking. We’ll see. I think I will walk…
How did your loved ones react when you took this bib? They looked up to the sky and sighed…
Is there a bit of apprehension? Yes, definitely. It wasn’t supposed to happen, and it happened to me anyway, so I still have some fear. Monday, I did 10 km, I thought about it. At one point, I told myself I was going to speed up, and then it blocked me. There is also apprehension for those close to me. My son, who didn’t see me coming back, took the car and turned… But I’m being followed, everything is fine. All the exams have been perfect since I had the operation. I have a treatment that I tolerate very well, even if it limits me a little muscularly. But yes, there is a little apprehension. I hope it won’t be too hot on Saturday. I don’t know yet if I will do the hills by jogging or walking. We’ll see. I think I will walk…
“His heart started beating again the first time”: Wilfried Depuille’s saviours at the Foulées de la cathédrale tell their story
What memories do you have of this day of June 24, 2023? I remember everything. In life, when there are events like that, we remember the day in detail, what we did. And what I shouldn’t have done too. I had cut up some wood in the blazing sun… There were a little over two kilometres left in the race, I was doing the math in my head, I was going to do 41 minutes. At one point, I suddenly leaned forward, I fell, I lost consciousness. And when I woke up, Sandrine Bayle (editor’s note: cardiologist) was in front of me. I told her that I was going to finish my race, she replied: “No, I don’t think so. You’ve just had a cardiac arrest”. And then I saw the fire truck behind, my wife and daughter crying. I said: “Okay, let’s calm down…” At first, I wasn’t really aware of the seriousness of it. My wife, who is a nurse, made me understand that I was very lucky not to have any after-effects…
I don’t worry about what doesn’t bring me happiness anymore. I just take the positive. I’m lucky to still be here.
empty (empty)
Have you seen the people who helped you again? I saw Gwendal again (editor’s note: the runner who was following him). I went to meet him in Bonneval on a race, I brought him a small bottle to mark the occasion. I also saw Mr. Maestracci again, who gave me cardiac massage. Very humble… He came to see me in Gasville, we looked at each other, smiled and hugged each other. Thank you, what… He will probably still be on the side of the road on Saturday.
“I will be able to do sport again almost as before,” confides Wilfried Depuille, victim of cardiac arrest at the Foulées de la cathédrale
When were you able to resume sport? Very quickly. Two months after the operation, I started running again, when I felt I could do it. At the start, I respected the fact of not increasing the intensity, of not exceeding 140 beats per minute. Then I had peaks above, but it was fine. I did a stress holter to measure the parameters over 24 hours, everything was ok. I’ll do it again on a Saturday. On the other hand, I couldn’t play football again. Licenses are prohibited for one year after bypass surgery. So I’m waiting for September to start competing again with the veterans, and I can’t wait. I’ve been playing at Ymonville since I was seven years old, I followed my friends all year, I did the refereeing, the sidelines, but it’s not the same thing!
Did this accident change your outlook on life? I no longer worry about what doesn’t bring me happiness. I just take the positive. I’m lucky to still be here. When I see last week’s car accident… I tell myself that I have a second chance, so I’m going to live it to the fullest. And I have no intention of locking myself up at home and forbidding myself from playing sports.
Romain Léger
