Shane Duffy believes he has been given a ‘second chance’ after a horrific training accident nearly ended his life.

Two months ago, a collision in a practice game with the Republic of Ireland national team left the young centre-back fighting for his life after rupturing the hepatic artery close to his liver.

Doctors discovered almost two thirds of his entire blood supply had leaked into Duffy’s abdomen, and if it wasn’t for the quick actions of the Ireland medical team on site who rushed him urgently to hospital, it could have been a completely different scenario.

Eternally in debt to the medics who helped him, Duffy truly believes he has been given another go at life and is thoroughly determined to make the most of it at Everton.

“I can't thank them enough,” Duffy told evertontv. “I've thanked them so many times and I'll thank them again for being so good at their jobs and saving me. I'm so happy. I appreciate everything they've done for me.

“It's made me realise how important it is now to get a second chance at it. I can't describe it, that I'm still here. I'm just so happy.

“It’s hard to tell people what it feels like because no one else knows I nearly died. So I just have to live life now, and don't take anything for granted."

Duffy said he was in complete shock when he was informed of the procedure medical staff had to perform to save him.

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“When I woke up about two days later they told me everything that they did and what happened,” he continued. “It was a weird thing. When it happened, I tried to get up straight away and the pain was just so sore, and then the doctor came on and I just said I couldn't breathe - he saw I couldn't breathe - and then he took me off.

“When I was in the ambulance I was just getting sharp, sharp pains in my chest so that just made it worse and I couldn't drink anything. I just blanked out from there, then I woke up and it was all done. From that moment in the ambulance, I just collapsed.”

Initially Duffy was told it would be six months before he could return to the pitch, but remarkably, the 18-year-old is back in light training just eight weeks after the incident.

“When the surgeon said to me at the start when I asked how long I would be and they said I should be back at Christmas,” Duffy continued. “But I'm just surprised that I'm able to run, do weights and do sit-ups now - it's so close.

“When I heard it would be Christmas I was gutted but I was just happy, so happy to still be here. It's just so good to be back and running. The last couple of weeks have been brilliant - getting back to training. I feel good now, and I can't wait to get back.”

The defender admitted he didn’t realise the seriousness of his surgery until the surgeons explained exactly what happened. And it was further reiterated when he saw the 10-inch ‘L’ shaped scar on his chest for the first time.

“I was just in shock to be fair because I didn't think it was serious when it happened,” Duffy added. “I thought it was maybe a cracked rib or something because of the sharp pain. But when I woke up and everyone was there - it was a bit crazy.

“I didn't see the scar for about two weeks because it was all wrapped up and then I saw it when the staples came out. It was frightening.”

Duffy will continue daily fitness work under supervision of Everton’s medical staff until he is able to join in full training with his team mates in approximately four to six weeks.

To view the first part of our interview with Duffy, click here.