Aaron Ramsdale has courageously shared the story of his wife Georgina experiencing a miscarriage while on a flight back to London in the weeks following last year’s World Cup.
Despite the heartbreak, the Arsenal goalkeeper remarkably played in the North London derby just three days after the tragic event, managing to maintain a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory against Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta extended compassionate leave to Ramsdale during this difficult time. In an interview with The Players’ Tribune, the 25-year-old goalkeeper explained how the Arsenal manager played a supportive role in ensuring the well-being of him and his family.
The England international said: “After the high of climbing to the top of the Premier League table and going off to my first World Cup, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our first child.
“Mikel gave me a few extra days off after the World Cup, so we went on a brief holiday. It was genuinely the happiest time of our lives.
“There’s no easy way to say this but I feel like it’s important that people know. On the flight home, my wife had a miscarriage.
“There’s really no way that I can describe the pain of that six-hour flight back to London, even now.
“I just want people out there to know that they’re not alone if they’re going through it themselves.”
Ramsdale added: “When we got back, I didn’t tell many people what happened. Only my family, my team-mates and of course Mikel.
“He was fantastic about everything. Even in the middle of the title race, with so much pressure on the club, he asked me if I needed some time off to deal with everything.
“Mikel went above and beyond to make sure me and my family were OK. For me, that’s a manager.
“He cares so much about his players and he forever has my respect for how he handled our grief.”