From Sudden Collapse to the Starting 5, Duquesne Basketball Player “Chabi” has Returned and has Big Goals for his Team
 
It was just another day. Halil “Chabi” Barre showed up for practice 30 minutes early on Jan. 30 just like he always had. He planned his normal pre-practice workout.
 
“The last thing that I remember was going for a dunk,” Barre said. “Then the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.” 

Barre had collapsed.  

“It was just another day,” Duquesne men’s basketball manager Conlan O’Donoghue said. He turned around and “saw Chabi on the ground.”  

O’Donoghue remembers seeing head coach Keith Dambrot and former graduate assistant Tim Baker sprinting out of the gym to get help.  

“I don’t think my mind comprehended what was actually happening,” O’Donoghue said. “When I saw the trainers Hendo and Yuta come rushing in, I knew something was wrong.”  

“It was a scary scene, they were doing CPR basically trying to resuscitate him,” O’Donoghue said. “It was not a fun day. There was a lot of emotions through all of it.” 

Barre spent nine days in the hospital undergoing several tests to figure out what happened. They couldn’t figure it out.  

Throughout his hospital stay, Barre received many visitors and support from coaches and teammates. One way the team showed support was on Feb. 4, at a game against George Washington, where the entire team added blue hearts to their jerseys to honor him. 

Barre looks back on his freshman year as a really difficult time in his life. He said he would not wish it on his worst enemy.  

Before the collapse, Barre had missed 17 games due to an MCL tear. He finally got cleared and was able to play 12 games before his medical emergency ruled him out for the remainder of the season. 
O’Donoghue recalls Barre dominating when he came back from his MCL tear.  

“It broke us,” O’Donoghue said. “To see him go down and be out for the rest of the season because we know how much hard work and dedication, he put into it.” 

“I cried a lot of times, I was so depressed,” Barre said. “I was on the bench seeing my team losing. It really hurts me knowing I could be on the court helping my team to win this game.” 

He was frustrated. 

“I felt like I didn't deserve it. I worked so hard for me to come to college and not play my freshman year because I had health issues,” Barre said.  

“They sent me to this doctor from the NBA to take a look at me,” said Barre. “They still couldn't find anything, and I didn't know if they were going to let me play basketball again because nobody wanted to take the risk.” 

Barre was stuck on the sidelines going through more tests and cardiac rehab for months. But he was willing to do anything to have a chance to get closer to being cleared to play.  

Barre did not care if he needed another surgery.  

“I just want to go back and play basketball,” Barre said.  

Barre had two surgeries, one that went through his right leg to his heart to test for arrhythmia which came back negative. In the second surgery, doctors put a heart monitor into his chest right next to his heart.  

“It can basically track my heart rate every second, and that will stay there forever,” Barre said. “And now all the doctors, the trainers they can track my heart rate through their phone.” 

“When I first got back, the first three to four weeks, obviously, everyone was nervous, I was nervous too,” Barre said. “The rules were that I have to be honest with the trainers about if I am not feeling good even if it's a little bit, I got to tell them you know so they can take me out.” 

“For the first two months every time I worked out, I could feel something moving right next to my heart,” Barre said.  

He is still getting used to the movement he feels from the heart monitor in his chest. The only thing that hurts him is when he is playing, and someone bumps into him.  

“The first week was very emotional for me because when I look back to what I have gone through and what happened I look at myself and am like wow, I can’t believe I am cleared to play basketball again,” Barre said. “At one point, I didn't know if I was going to ever play basketball again.” 

Barre used other people where the same thing happened to them as an example to motivate himself. He also tried to listen to those around him that supported him like his parents, coaches and teammates.  

“I kind of used them as examples to see that they went through the same thing and now they are back playing the sport they love. I just had to be patient, trust God, keep working to do what I can control,” Barre said. “It was very hard sometimes.” 

Barre is just one of several athletes that have suffered from a cardiac related incident similar to the situations of Damar Hamlin and Bronny James.  

Barre had his first game back on Nov. 6 against Cleveland State a day he looked forward to for so long. 

“I was so excited to just score 1 point, and yeah it felt good finally,” Barre said. “It felt really good.” 

Barre has started in every game so far this season and is expected to be a major part of the success this team is projected to have this year.  

“The first game I got into the game very early. Then I was just sitting there thinking about everything that happened in the past and that I am cleared to play in my first college basketball game back,” Barre said. 

Duquesne Basketball is looking to win the Atlantic-10 conference this season and Chabi is ready to show fans what he really can bring to the team.  

“Now the real things are getting started now,” Barre said.  

Doctors still are not sure what exactly happened Jan. 30 but Barre is happy to be back playing basketball again.  

“This year, I’m playing. I'm starting the game,” Barre said. “Very emotional too. I was sitting there crying. I was talking to myself this game could have been taken away from me, and now, I just don’t take anything for granted anymore.” 
 
Tags: NCAA, Basketball, Duquesne, Atlantic-10, Damar Hamlin, Bronny James