DJ Tom Dunne has opened up on his battle with the debilitating heart condition steniosis.
The former Today FM DJ, best known for fronting the show Pet Sounds, said it felt like he had been "hit by a truck" when his condition dramatically worsened in the space of two years.
Dunne, 59, was forced to go under the knife, with the surgery leaving a huge scar across his chest.
He explained that his recovery since the operation has been a "miracle".
The Newstalk broadcaster told the Irish Sun: "Someone said it was like being knocked down by a bus, and that's exactly what it was.
"One minute I was grand and the next minute I was in bits.
"I was in bits for about six weeks, but then your body just heals and you're good again. It's a miracle, I can't overstate that."
Dunne revealed that he felt helpless throughout the process, and thanked the medical team who saved his life.
He added: "I found it quite sobering. I felt very powerless during it.
"I got the impression there was a moment where it could go either way. It either goes that way or it doesn't.
"I always did savour life, and slightly more so even now. Thank God for surgeons."
