Saturday January 11, 2025, before the start of the matches between the Cadets and Juniors of the ACLR-LORC (Association Côte Landes Rugby – Landes Océan Rugby club) and those of the Aire-Grenade gathering, on the Castets field, young Antonin received from Dacquois Raphaël Laboille a jersey autographed by the players of the US Dax team 1.
Before playing in the best Landes team of the moment, the pillar was trained until Espoir at the ACLR. “I have remained very close to my training club where I regularly come to see my brother, Émile, play. So what happened to Antonin particularly struck me. With our captain, Jean-Baptiste Barrère, we wanted to show him our solidarity. » A solidarity which has continued to flow from all sides of the rugby world since this Saturday, November 16, 2024.
That day, while the players greeted each other after the final whistle of a second-year Cadet match at Linxe, Antonin, 15, collapsed on the pitch. “At the time, no one understood what was happening,” the young man’s mother remembers with emotion. I was pushed aside, but I saw that a cardiac massage was being started. I then isolated myself in my bubble and I prayed, begged: “Be strong, Antonin, come back!”
Coralie and Xavier, nurse and volunteer firefighter present in the public, immediately implemented first aid procedures, and luckily, the Philippe-Boulart stadium was equipped with a defibrillator. At the fourth shock, his guardian angels caught up with Antonin.
“Sudden unexplained death”
Helicoptered to Bayonne hospital, he was plunged into a coma for three days, which helped stabilize him. He was then transferred to the Haut-Lévêque cardiological hospital (33) for almost three long weeks of examinations during which his parents only thought of one thing: “They are going to repair it. » Antonin, for his part, was only thinking of going out. It was annoying to do all these exams and never find anything.”
Antonin, with his mother and pillar Raphaël Laboille.
Isabelle Louvier / SO
The various examinations, even the last ones which took place just before the holidays, revealed nothing about the origin of this cardiorespiratory arrest, described as “sudden unexplained death”. Genetic investigations are still underway, and Antonin has agreed to join a research program. Today, he is on beta-blockers and has had a defibrillator implanted that will restart his heart if it fails again.
“I’m good again. During the last stress test, the doctor moderated me: “You’re pedaling too fast!”
“I’m good again. During the last exercise test, the doctor moderated me: ”You’re pedaling too fast!” But I had to stop the sport, and if I can resume it later, it will be as a leisure activity, but not combat sport or competition. I would have liked to be able to continue playing rugby. » For the moment, he is also not allowed to drive his motorcycle. “I feel like I did before, but in my previous life, I only had the right to return to high school,” says the young man.
Despite everything, it is positive, with the strength of the children’s resilience and the seriousness of the teenager that events have made mature before their time. “Life has another meaning. Antonin is happy, in good health, and we cannot feel sorry for ourselves, even if anxiety has settled deep within us. We must move forward and live! We experienced a miracle,” breathes his mother.
The importance of prevention
As the president of the ACLR-LORC gathering William Beylac pointed out, this miracle was made possible “by the presence within the stadium of the defibrillator installed by the municipality and of course the people who used it. »
He would like to welcome the establishment by the Dax and Mont-de-Marsan hospital centers of a psychological unit which traveled to Linxe to help teammates, families, and managers to overcome these very difficult times. “For everyone, the recurring question was, and remains, what would have happened if there had not been a defibrillator on site, or if it had not been in working order? Also, as a preventive measure, our club contacted all the municipalities to ensure that their stadiums are well equipped, and that their annual maintenance was properly carried out. »
From now on, the Marensin club also benefits from a mobile defibrillator offered by the Au Cœur des Twins association, which accompanies the players on all their trips. President Beylac also clarified the importance of downloading the Staying Alive application for free, which allows you to locate publicly accessible defibrillators nearby.
“We know it exists. We now know that this can happen to anyone. Might as well be warned, because what a pleasure to find Antonin among us at the stadium! », assures William Beylac.
