Dirk Kuyt has spoken of his pride that his father will be at Anfield for the first time on Saturday – just three weeks after undergoing lifesaving surgery.
The Dutchman feared his dad would never see him don a red shirt after being diagnosed with cancer.
But doctors have now given Kuyt senior the all-clear to travel to England to watch his son.
"That will be a special moment for us because before the operation we didn't know if he'd ever be able to watch me," Kuyt told liverpoolfc.tv.
"He had cancer between the throat and the stomach. He had a big operation three weeks ago but he's doing very well now. The doctors tell us the cancer is out of his body but we still have to pray everything will be all right."
The striker idolised the likes of Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit as a child – but he has just one hero nowadays.
He said: "My dad is really an inspiration for me. Three days before he had his big operation I was in Holland for the nomination of the best player of the year, and he presented the award to me. I told him afterwards that it really meant a lot to me that he did that." ..............
The Dutchman feared his dad would never see him don a red shirt after being diagnosed with cancer.
But doctors have now given Kuyt senior the all-clear to travel to England to watch his son.
"That will be a special moment for us because before the operation we didn't know if he'd ever be able to watch me," Kuyt told liverpoolfc.tv.
"He had cancer between the throat and the stomach. He had a big operation three weeks ago but he's doing very well now. The doctors tell us the cancer is out of his body but we still have to pray everything will be all right."
The striker idolised the likes of Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit as a child – but he has just one hero nowadays.
He said: "My dad is really an inspiration for me. Three days before he had his big operation I was in Holland for the nomination of the best player of the year, and he presented the award to me. I told him afterwards that it really meant a lot to me that he did that." ..............
We've got to win convincingly for Kuyt and his old feller.
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