EXCLUSIVE: Dad 'overjoyed' as Welling United footballer son wakes up from coma

Ali Reith spent his 16th birthday in a medically induced coma in hospital, after collapsing whilst playing Dartford FC in a pre-season friendly on Sunday.

The teenager is now said to be making good progress whilst doctors continue to investigate what caused the sudden heart attack.

His dad Phil Reith, mum Rashida and eight-year-old brother Adam, were all on the sideline cheering him at the Dartford FC ground Princes Park.

Ali Reith (top right) with Dartford FC in Valencia.

Mr Reith described the moment his perfectly fit and healthy son fell to the floor gasping for breath.

The 41-year-old told News Shopper: "One moment he was jogging back up to the half way line the next moment he just dropped.

"At first they thought he'd fallen over, just tripped and then he just wasn't moving.

"We thought no this isn't right, everyone rushed over to try and find out what was going on and I could tell it was serious straight away."

Dartford youth development manager Phil Murray visiting Ali in his hospital bed.

After calling 999 Dartford FC first team manager Tony Burman began CPR whilst others crowded round for support.

Mr Burman told News Shopper: "It was about 30 minutes into the game, he just collapsed and straight away we could see that he was in trouble."

Once paramedics arrived Ali was driven by road by Kings College Hospital where he underwent a CT scan before being transferred to Evelina London Children's Hospital.

At just 15-years-old at the time he was put on a children's ward where he spent his 16th birthday - and his parents' nine year wedding anniversary - two days later (September 1).

Looking back to that afternoon in Dartford, Mr Reith said his mind was blank whilst he and the coaches battled to save Ali.

He said: "Just thinking I can't lose him and obviously how much we all love him.

"I wasn't thinking about the weather that was for sure.

"You just think please pull through, please breathe, please wake up. You're just hoping, praying and wishing that everything works out alright."

Ali Reith playing at Beth's Grammar School in the Kent County Cup.

Mr Reith praised the actions of the Dartford and Welling footballing staff who were CPR trained and quick to act.

Ali was brought out of his coma yesterday but his memory of what happened remains hazy.

Mr Reith said: "The last thing he can remember he said he thought someone punched him or elbowed him in the chest - that was his last recollection.

"I had to explain no-one actually touched you, that was you having a heart attack.

"They still don't know definitively what caused it, we believe they will have an answer by the end of the week."

After staying with him in the hospital overnight Mr Reith said they were relieved to have Ali awake.

"We were just overjoyed as you can imagine," he said.

The family thanked the friends, family, hospital staff and even strangers who've shown their support over the past few days.

Mr Reith said: "It's amazing how when something like this happens everyone then thinks this could be my son."

Ali, who played for Dartford FC last season, is a year 11 pupil at Beth's Grammar School in Bexley.

Dartford FC boss Tony Burman.

In the wake of the traumatic incident both Mr Reith and Mr Burman stressed the importance of adequate first aid training.

Fortunately Mr Burman had been on an Football Association first aid course less than eight months ago.

He said: "You go in to a mode of trying to do what you know from what you have seen.

"It was surreal, it's a situation that I hope I don't have to go through again."