Gary Neville, a Manchester United legend celebrated for his remarkable career, recently shared a profound personal experience relating to mental health that occurred during a flight. Known for his dedication on the field, Neville’s career highlights include over 600 appearances for Manchester United, 85 caps for the England national team, and an impressive collection of titles: eight Premier League victories, six domestic cups, and two Champions League trophies in his 19-year career. Since retiring in 2011, Neville has successfully ventured into various fields, including football punditry at Sky Sports, entrepreneurship with Salford City, co-founding a football-themed hotel in Manchester, and creating content for The Overlap YouTube channel, particularly the engaging ‘Stick to Football’ podcast.
In a candid revelation, Neville shared a distressing experience with anxiety during a flight, underscoring the significance of acknowledging and addressing mental health issues. Despite his strong work ethic and proactive lifestyle, Neville’s account highlights a pivotal moment where his mental health required immediate attention.
Gary Neville recalled a critical episode when his anxiety reached an overwhelming peak during a flight from Miami
“I knew there was something wrong. I’ve never experienced anxiety in my life. I didn’t even know what it was. I was flying back from Miami and I was sat on the front of this plane and I knew that I’d obviously pushed myself over the previous couple of months. And I was literally thinking, ‘I’m going to have a heart attack’. I felt like I was literally going to die. I said to the steward, ‘I’m going to have to get off’. I stopped the plane, my bags got taken off and I stayed in America for an extra time.”
Neville’s account serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the courage needed to confront and manage such challenges.
