Former Lion on robbery trauma: I get flashbacks in my sleep

“Just don’t take our lives.”

That was the only thought running through Ruan Ackermann’s mind after a harrowing armed robbery in January.

The 25-year-old former Lions flanker, son of successful coach Johann and currently playing for English club Gloucester, was on holiday back in South Africa when the incident occurred.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Ackermann admits the whole experience being “scary and eye-opening”.

“I felt someone with a gun coming into the car, pointing the gun against my head and telling me to turn off the car,” he told the publication.

“I turned to my left and my brother had a gun against his head, too; they were demanding some stuff from him. And then my friend behind me, I can’t remember what he was saying, everything sounded like mumbling at the time. He also had a gun against his head. They had three guys and a getaway driver.”

Ackermann, along with his brother Tiaan and another friend had been celebrating Tiaan’s birthday at a Pretoria hotel.

Only personal belongings were eventually taken, but there was far more lasting “damage” to Ackermann’s psyche, who suffered anxiety attacks in his sleep.

“What needed to be a week off, chilling and catching up with friends and family turned into quite a scary, dramatic, eye-opening moment of realising how quickly your life can be taken from you,” said Ackermann.

“After I got back to the UK, having settled back in at Gloucester, back into training and the routine, I started getting flashbacks when I was sleeping about what could have happened, what could I have done, what would have happened if I was shot or they shot my brother. Stuff playing through in your head. I asked my dad if I should speak to someone and he said it was up to me.”

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