12-year-old who was struck by lightning during a football match makes heroic return to the pitch 146 days after shocking incident caused his heart to ‘stop for 30 minutes’

A 12-year-old boy who had to fight for his life after being struck by lightning on a football field has returned to his team just 146 days after the shocking incident.

Ronnie Wraith was struck in the chest by lightning while playing in a tournament with the Hertfordshire county team in October last year.

This resulted in cardiac arrest and the young man’s heart stopped for 30 minutes before he was stabilized and placed in an induced coma.

He slowly recovered under round-the-clock care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and has now miraculously returned to the pitch just four months after the ordeal.

Wraith, who plays for Ware FC’s under-13 team, came on as a substitute during Sunday’s win over Saffron Walden.

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The club’s Twitter account shared a video of the moment he entered the game with his teammates and assistants, giving him well-deserved applause.

Ronnie’s mother, Emily, created a GoFundMe to help raise money for her son’s rehabilitation and treatment in October.

On the fundraising page, Emily wrote: “On Monday 2nd October, Ronnie was lucky enough to be able to do what he loved – play football whilst representing his Hertfordshire constituency.

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‘With four minutes left in the game, the unthinkable happened: Ronnie was struck in the chest by lightning! This caused cardiac arrest and his heart stopped for a period of 30 minutes.

‘A huge thank you to the public who administered CPR before the emergency services arrived and who were able to take charge and give this boy a second chance at life.

‘Ronnie is currently in an induced coma and the prognosis is still uncertain; He receives 24-hour care from an incredible team at the PICU.

“The road to recovery is still uncertain, but it will definitely be a long and difficult road for Ronnie and his family.”