Fabrice Muamba made an emotional return to Bolton for the Premier League clash against Tottenham on Wednesday night, waving tearfully to supporters from the field -- just 47 days after his on-field cardiac arrest.
The midfielder was introduced to a standing ovation before the 4-1 loss to Spurs, the team he was playing against in the FA Cup when he collapsed at White Hart Lane on March 17.
The 24-year-old, whose heart stopped beating for 78 minutes following his collapse, spent a month at the London Chest Hospital before being discharged on April 16.
The England under-21 midfielder has continued his rehabilitation at home and was visibly moved and wiped tears from his eyes as he acknowledged the crowd at the Reebok Stadium.
"I'm OK. I'm getting stronger everyday," Muamba told Sky Sports. "I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to see the fans outside.
"I'm overwhelmed by the support I got. I'm just happy to be able to speak to people again and to be able to walk freely, so I'm just happy that I'm here."
Asked how it felt to be walking back into the Reebok Stadium, he said, "This is a special place. If you play for this football club you know what a special place it is."
Muamba also spoke about the "fantastic support" he received during his recovery, saying, "It helps me every single day. I've still got about six or seven boxes to go through of well wishes cards and I'm grateful for that."
Bolton manager Owen Coyle said Muamba's return had been uplifting.
He said: "To see Fabrice here - he came in before the game and it was quite emotional, as you can imagine.
"We are absolutely delighted with his recovery. That was paramount for Fabrice and his family, I have always said that. It was fantastic to see him and for everyone else to see how he is recovering."
Coyle said: "He has been in the players' lounge and managed to see them all. There were smiles on their faces at how well he is doing.
"He is not just a team-mate, he is a close friend because of the character and personality he is.
"All the staff also got to see him, and it was pleasing in that respect."
