Wakefield Trinity prop Dave Fifita won’t ever take anything for granted after fearing the worst following his twin’s horror injury - and could even retire at the end of this season.
The giant Aussie forward was stunned when brother Andrew was rushed to hospital after fracturing his larynx while playing for Cronulla Sharks against Newcastle Knights last August.
He was placed in an induced coma for five days, required major surgery, could only talk with the help of a tracheostomy tube and has only recently remarkably made his return to action.
But Dave - who hopes to help secure Trinity’s first win of the season against Leeds Rhinos on Thursday night - was left helpless on the other side of the world while all this was happening.
Speaking publicly for the first time about the family’s ordeal, he recalled: “I’ve never really experienced anything like it.
“My brother was in a coma. What!?
“Because it’s my twin brother, I don’t know if it’s the bond we have or what, but I feel everything he goes through.
“I just said I needed the next flight out of here. But his wife Nikki settled me down and I came to our game against Warrington.
“I said I didn’t think I could play but one of the other boys pulled out so I just said I would do and if I do something stupid it’s because my head’s not there.
“I played alright, scored a try and we won. But there was always a situation going on those first few days.
“So much credit goes to his wife keeping me in the loop (since) as she knows how much I was stressing out over here.
“It’s good to see him back playing and playing some good footy.”
Because of Covid travel restrictions, Fifita has still not been able to visit his brother Down Under but both have grown stronger since through it all.
Hard-hitting Dave added: "Before Andrew goes out now (to play) he has to find his missus and tell her he loves her.
"He always texts me on the phone and says 'love you lots'.
"I think he just doesn’t take anything for granted now.
"With him pretty much being the biggest player out there, it just shows no one is really safe in our sport. It can go just like that.”
Both Wakefield and derby rivals Leeds have lost all three of their opening Super League games this season so tonight is a crucial contest.
But barnstorming Fifita, 32, is finding some form which makes his talk of potentially calling it a day surprising.
His contract is up at the end of the season and he said: "I'm just enjoying it this year more because if I do end up retiring at the end of the year I can go out happy.
"But it can go both ways. I’ll leave it all up to my wife.
"She’s happy being here but she’s also missing home. It’s 2019 since we were last back.”
