Gavin ‘ Iggy ‘ Thomas, a Jiu-Jitsu champion from Wales suffered a stroke while training at the G7 BJJ Academy and was rushed to the hospital by teammates after they were told no ambulance would come for 7 hours. Luckily, Thomas ended up well, albeit after surgery.
Gavin ‘ Iggy ‘ Thomas, aged 40 is a blue belt and Jiu-Jitsu champion training at the G7 BJJ Academy in Clydach Vale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales suffered a stroke while on the mats on Monday, November 14, 2022. Thomas had just returned for the BJJF No-Gi Europeans in Rome where he won two silver medals.
As per his coach, also named Gavin Thomas, “Iggy all of a sudden looked drunk” and his mouth had dropped. These are tell-tale signs of a stroke and the coach and Thomas’ teammates rushed to help the Jiu-Jitsu champion.
Despite the hosp[ital being very near, they were told by emergency services that an ambulance would only be able to come after 7 hours, upon which they decided to take Gavin to the hospital themselves”
“We got him to a room and the ambulance said it would take them seven hours to get here and the hospital was down the road, so we carried him down the stairs, got him in the car and just got him down there as quick as possible,” said the coach.
It was lucky that they did so, as Thomas suffered further complications at the hospital and had to undergo emergency surgery. Thankfully, the 40-year-old Jiu-Jitsu champion is now well and resting.
Coach Gavin said that “Iggy” had been complaining about migraines for months and was lucky to be at the gym when the stroke happened:
“Gavin lives alone so it was lucky he was with us at the gym. Although we have WhatsApp groups he never comments on them so we wouldn’t have realised anything was wrong if it happened in his house and you hadn’t heard from him – God knows what would have happened.”
The Jiu-Jitsu champion is lucky his teammates reacted quickly and correctly, saving his life. They later on put together a GoFundMe to help raise funds for Thomas.
“This GoFundMe business is all new to me and I didn’t know how to set up a page before this. I made it so it would go directly to Gavin. It doesn’t change what’s happened and no amount of money will, but it will hopefully help.”
