adminRugby great Jonah Lomu likely died from a blood clot that formed during a long-haul flight, one of his medics has said, as plans were unveiled to honour the legendary winger with a public memorial. Former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew, who helped treat Lomu’s chronic kidney disease, said yesterday a flight-related clot was the most likely explanation for his shock death in Auckland, New Zealand, last week, aged 40.
Mayhew, a close family friend who announced the star’s death to the world, said Lomu’s kidney disease made him vulnerable to such a scenario. The player had just returned to Auckland after seeing his beloved All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup in Britain, a marathon flight, even with a stopover in Dubai.
“He returned from the UK via Dubai and appeared to be in good health before he died,” Mayhew told the BBC. “We think the most likely cause was a clot on the lung which can be a complication of long distance travel. “Jonah was at greater risk of that happening because of his renal condition.”
He said Lomu, an electrifying talent who became the game’s first global superstar, would not have known what hit him.— Sportsmail.
Online Reporter