The son of an AFL legend was put on life support after doctors discovered he was battling a mysterious brain infection.
Geelong great Peter Riccardi, 51, said his son Osca was placed in a coma after spending the day with friends.
Osca, who previously played for the Geelong Cats, was rushed to hospital by his mother after she noticed he could barely walk or talk.
“A few Sundays ago (Osca) came home, he had been out with some of his friends, he had been to the beach, he had dinner, he went bowling… and he said he was going to bed,” Mr Riccardi said to the Beyond the Boundary podcast.
‘Then he was up in the middle of the night, he was throwing up, he was feeling a bit rebellious… we just thought he was exhausted.
‘But by lunchtime he couldn’t talk and could barely walk.’
Geelong great Peter Riccardi, 51, said his son Osca was kept in a coma for three days after he started vomiting at the end of a normal day (father and son are pictured)
Osca, who was dropped from Geelong’s VFL team at the end of 2023, was rushed to hospital by his mother a few weeks ago after she noticed he could barely walk or talk.
Osca had scans done in hospital which showed there was swelling in his brain.
He simultaneously suffered from a sinus infection, an ear infection and glandular fever and was placed in an induced coma for three days.
The talented footballer was in intensive care for four days, but is now recovering at home.
Mr Riccardi said he was ‘extremely’ lucky that his wife Mel was working from home on the day their son was rushed to hospital.
“But he’s back home now and recovering… you wouldn’t know that two weeks ago. When you see him on a ventilator, and see him now, it’s amazing what they’re doing there,” the former Cats player said.
“Obviously they have to prepare you for the worst (outcome).”
Osca had scans done in hospital which showed there was swelling in his brain
The talented player was in the ICU for four days, but is now recovering at home