Ex-Liverpool and Leeds defender Dominic Matteo has revealed how he is hoping to discover his birth mother after a brain tumour left him ‘fighting for his life’.
The Scottish footballer, 47, who was put up for adoption as a baby, appears on a new episode of Long Lost Family on Monday, and in a sneak preview clip, he opens up about his reasons for the search.
‘I was fighting for my life,’ Dominic says, recalling his battle with a rare, cancerous brain tumour in 2019. ‘When you’re close to your life being over it just becomes more important.’
Following a miraculous recovery thanks to life-saving surgery, and with the help of his wife Jess, Dominic is on a mission to find his birth mother during the ITV show.
Ex-Liverpool and Leeds defender Dominic Matteo (pictured) has revealed how he is hoping to discover his birth mother after a brain tumour left him ‘fighting for his life’
The Scottish footballer (pictured as a child), 47, who was put up for adoption as a baby, appears on a new episode of Long Lost Family on Monday, and in a sneak preview clip, he opens up about his reasons for the search
Appearing on the show, Dominic said: ‘The only thing I ever wanted to be was a footballer. I was very lucky, even played for my country.
‘I’ve had a great life, but I never thought I’d end up with a brain tumour. I was fighting for my life, this time last year.
‘I got to a place where I was just thinking about meeting my birth mother. When you’re close to your life being over, it just becomes more important.
‘I’m not sure we’d have had this conversation before my illness, I’m not sure, I’m not sure, but it’s made me think completely differently about life.’
‘I was fighting for my life,’ Dominic (pictured as a toddler with his adoptive family) says, recalling his battle with a rare, cancerous brain tumour in 2019. ‘When you’re close to your life being over it just becomes more important.’
Following a miraculous recovery thanks to life-saving surgery, and with the help of his wife Jess, Dominic (pictured as a child) is on a mission to find his birth mother during the ITV show
The Scotland defender was taken seriously ill in November 2019 and underwent life-saving surgery.
In April 2020, he revealed he had been given the all clear, thanking the staff at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital on Twitter for ‘saving my life’.
‘Yesterday I got THE phone call, the one I’ve been praying for… my brain scan is clear,’ he tweeted at the time.
‘After six months of fear, pain, rehab surgery and treatment. I’m healthy! It feels unreal,’ he added.
The Scotland defender was taken seriously ill in November 2019 and underwent life-saving surgery. In April 2020, Dominic (pictured) revealed he had been given the all clear, thanking the staff at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital on Twitter for ‘saving my life’
Dominic (pictured) made his senior Liverpool debut in October 1993 and made 155 appearances in seven years before joining Leeds in 2000
‘The LGI & St James hospital saved my life. They were simply incredible. Thank you will never be enough!’
Dominic made his senior Liverpool debut in October 1993 and made 155 appearances in seven years before joining Leeds in 2000.
He was a regular at Elland Road, playing 146 times in four years. He helped David O’Leary’s side into the Champions League semi-finals in 2001, scoring a famous goal against AC Milan in the San Siro on the way.
But he was part of the side that was relegated in 2004 before moving on to Blackburn and then Stoke before hanging up his boots in 2009.
He was capped six times by Scotland despite having earned Under 21 caps for England.
Long Lost Family returns on Monday at 9pm on ITV.