Bulls player details receiving shock news during match against All Blacks

A family emergency saw Bulls loose forward Hanro Liebenberg pulled off after 30 minutes of the match against the All Blacks at Loftus last month.

Liebenberg’s two-week-old daughter, Liviah, had gone into cardiac arrest.

“She went in for open-heart surgery that Monday before the match,” Liebenberg told Rapport. “She was up and down health-wise the whole week, because that kind of surgery places enormous stress on a baby.”

Liviah was born on 3 August with a rare heart defect, interrupted aortic arch, as well as two holes in her heart.

Bulls team management received word during the first half against the All Blacks that Liviah’s heart had stopped and coach Johan Ackermann took Liebenberg off so he could rush to hospital.

‘They needed me’

“They needed me. It is also one of the reasons why I came back to South Africa from England – because my family comes first,” Liebenberg said.

“Her little heart had stopped completely. They had to revive her and put her on life support. It was harrowing.

“My wife and I were ready to go and say goodbye to our daughter on the Sunday. We told ourselves we needed to make peace with it – that this was not meant for us.”

But when Liebenberg and his wife, Danielle, arrived at the hospital, doctors told them Liviah was still fighting.

“By God’s grace, she just grew stronger and stronger. Healthier. We are so grateful for that,” Liebenberg said.

Liviah was finally able to go home last Monday, when she met her older brother Lucah for the first time.

**This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished with permission. **