The other miracle of the Lightning

The miracle of the Lightning in Montilivi had another as a prelude. This occurred, just 24 hours before, in the ICU of the Gregorio Marañón hospital and its protagonist was Santiago Bejarano Gil (Plasenzuela, Cáceres, May 4, 1955). This Extremaduran by birth, but Vallecano by adoption — he has lived in Congosto for almost thirty years for a reason. woke up after 50 days intubated as a result of COVID. “He did not want to lose the decisive match in the Strip, always unconditional,” said his son Santi in a tweet that soon went viral. Mario Suárez, Cristina Pedroche, the official account of the club and hundreds of anonymous rayistas left him messages of affection. His story had become another good reason to fight for the sporting feat and for hope. His example of struggle and improvement led the way.

Santiago and his family they will hardly forget that April 29. He had been admitted a few days before for coronavirus and called home to tell them that he was fine. In ten minutes the phone was ringing again. It was bad news. “He told us that they intubated him. He had previous pathologies and it caught him strong. My father has been suffering from bilateral pneumonia, pneumothorax, infection … A thousand things “, Santi explains about that long road:”They call you once a day, between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., to inform you of their status in a few minutes. They are very clear on the situation. If they tell you something good it is very good, if they tell you something bad it may not be so bad, but if they tell you something very bad it is. I have to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the health personnel who have attended him day and night. Two weeks ago he underwent surgery for a clot in his lung and, as a result of that, he has succeeded. A miracle”.

To the point that last saturday he woke up. “He goes little by little, but he is not yet fully aware of what is around him. Responds to stimuli, we tell him to open his eyes, and if you speak he recognizes you, we ask him to shut his mouth and he does. Doctors allow about two to three weeks for you to be fully lucid.”Says his son, who was able to see him on Tuesday. Just yesterday, Thursday, they told him that Rayo, his Ray, is in First. Something that Santiago, an inveterate optimist, already predicted. “Even if we fall against someone below, it was clear that we were going up. When he entered the UCI the team was not bad, then he hit a slump and lost many points, but he was excited. He said that we had a good squad and that we would be promoted. And look…”.

Both Santiagos, father and son, share that love for the Strip. The crush for Santi occurred, precisely, in a Rayo-Extremadura of the 98-99, a victory in the promotion (2-0) that opened the doors of Primera to Juande's. “It was my first game on the pitch and everything came from there. I got to do a test in the Ray, but soccer was not my thing. He was excited. When he realizes the promotion, you'll see … I'm going to have to put up with him, with how stubborn he is, saying to myself: “I told you, I told you.” (laughs). He was right ”, he predicts excitedly. He also senses his surprise when I explain in detail how his story touched the heart of rayism, thanks to Social Networks: “I will teach you the answers, I know you will like it, especially from longtime fans like Gelo”.

From this team, Well is your weakness. “He feels devotion to him and when he doesn't play he starts: 'I don't understand it, I just don't understand it,” says Santi, who sees football as a great companion of his father since retirement: “He has in his room the Rayo scarf on TV and all the t-shirts that we have been giving him”. Santiago was not a subscriber, but he was a regular at the stadium until, nine years ago, he had to overcome another obstacle: a heart attack. That made strong emotions out of their routine. Nevertheless, when health improved, the games returned in Vallecas.

“I took him to a Rayo-Tenerife (3-1, 17-18), which De Tomás scored a great goal, and I noticed him calm. I was surprised. From there we resume. Let's see if for next season I get the fertilizer. He always goes to the corner of the Fund, sitting down. And each one has been seen … I remember a Rayo-Levante (2-1, 18-19), with a lot of fog, that the other goal could not be distinguished, because it came as a child from Warner …“Jokes Santi, who continues:” He said it had been a great game because when the other side of the stands shouted, something had happened (laughs)”. That illusion, that strength, that desire, have made Santiago have saved another setback in life. His is this comeback to frame and the other great miracle of the Lightning.