Danish Ajax Defender Battled Mental Health Issues Following His Father’s Death at 15

What was intended to be a relaxed and active New Year’s Day in 2015 turned into a distressing ordeal for Ajax defender Anton Gaaei, who witnessed the near-fatal incident involving his father.

At just 15 years of age, Gaaei and a friend were participating in a New Year’s race when his father collapsed while waiting to greet them at the finish line, striking his head on the pavement.

“I don’t really recall much of it, except for witnessing the incident,” the Ajax star shared with bt.dk.

His father experienced a cardiac arrest and was clinically dead for ten minutes before resuscitation was successful.

“It wasn’t due to smoking or anything like that. It was a case of calcification, and it took two days for him to regain consciousness – I’m forever grateful for that,” Gaaei detailed.

The traumatic event profoundly affected the young Danish defender, prompting him to seek help from a psychologist to address the psychological toll it took.

However, this ordeal taught him valuable lessons about life and highlighted that there are aspects far more significant than football.

“It was a challenging time. At 15, I realised that there’s more to my life than just the sport,”

“Football is my entire existence, but ultimately, life itself holds greater importance. That day made me realise it. At the same time, overcoming this experience at such a young age has also contributed to my mental strength,” reflected the now 22-year-old right-back.

Fast forward eight years, Gaaei’s father remains in good health, with no lingering effects from the incident.

After a personally fulfilling year where Gaaei has emerged as a key figure for Ajax, he has earned a spot on the Danish national team, set to compete against Northern Ireland in a friendly at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on Saturday night.