Tragic Pool fan’s wife reveals his rehab fight
THE wife of Sean Cox has revealed her life revolves around going to hospital to care for him.
The Co Meath man was brutally assaulted last year by a group of Roma soccer supporters in an unprovoked attack before Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final tie outside Anfield.
The 53-year-old was left with serious head injuries and will need life-long care as he continues to recover in a rehabilitation centre in Dun Laoghaire.
His wife Martina, speaking ahead of a charity match for her husband between Ireland and Liverpool legends on April 12, was upbeat but admitted: “Life has just changed completely. Sean has been in three different hospitals.
“It revolves around going to hospital. We have a family at home, two kids in college and one at home and it’s juggling everything together. But that is the curveball thrown and we’re trying to get on with it the best we can.
“Obviously the biggest priority is Sean and the next steps in his rehabilitation.
“He is in Dun Laoghaire and his rehab programme is due to finish at the end of March.
“Then we’re looking at possibly Donnybrook [Dublin] which is another rehabilitation programme.” The Ireland team for the charity match at the Aviva will be managed by Mick Mccarthy while Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish will be in charge of the Reds.
Former stars such as Robbie Keane, Jason Mcateer, John Aldridge, Kevin Kilbane and Phil Babb are all set to be involved. And Martina admitted she has been overwhelmed by the support shown by Liverpool and the sporting community. She added: “We don’t know if he will walk again but we’re encouraging him every step of the way. He is going to need a huge amount of rehabilitation going forward. In terms of the fans, we’ve had an overwhelming amount of support from all four corners of the world.
“I’m not particularly a soccer fan myself but I can’t believe how the community spirit has been with Liverpool. It’s unbelievable.”
■ Tickets for the game go on general sale via Ticketmaster on Thursday at 10am with presales for FAI season ticketholders being released today at 10am.