Leicester City club ambassador Alan Birchenall has said he "was dead" when he suffered a cardiac arrest at an awards ceremony.
"The Birch", 71, collapsed while making a presentation in January. He was treated by medical staff from the audience using a defibrillator.
The former Foxes player said since that evening "everyday is unreal because the Birch was gone... it changed my life".
The use of a defibrillator saved his life, his doctor confirmed.
Mr Birchenall helped raise money in 2015 for defibrillators to be used at 20 Leicestershire schools.