“My Lung Would Expand…It Would Pop” – Paul Mullin Reflects on the Agonizing Aftermath of His Horrific Injury in Welcome to Wrexham S3

The 2023-24 season ended on a high note for Paul Mullin. Wrexham‘s Player of the Year with a staggering 26 goals, he spearheaded his team to a second consecutive promotion. But beyond the good times, there remains a dark memory of when the striker sustained a punctured lung in a pre-season tie against Manchester United. Although Mullin managed to overcome his injury, the path to recovery was far from easy as he waited for ‘two weeks to fully heal.’

In the first episode of Welcome to Wrexham Season 3, Mullin shed light on the intricacies he faced while recovering from the horrific injury. Insisting that he ‘couldn’t care less’ about his return date, the 29-year-old’s first question from the medics was, “When can I fly home? I just want to go home and see my kid.” Mullin thought that he would reunite with his family in Wrexham in a mere 2-3 days. Yet, the expectations of the former Cambridge United star were dashed after being informed that he couldn’t fly and would stay in the US for weeks. 

“They basically said that if I got on a plane, my lung would expand cause there’s a hole already in it—basically it would pop. Then you’re in trouble when flying over the Atlantic Ocean. You ain’t got many hospitals to go to in that circumstance. So I had to wait for two weeks to fully heal and for the hole to close over and then I could actually fly,” said Mullin. 

Wrexham’s star striker obviously felt homesick while lying in the hospital bed, unable to have his family beside him during a time when he needed them the most. However, a heartwarming gesture saw another family offer him support during the tough time. 

Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson invited Paul Mullin to stay at their house

During an episode of The Rob.Ryan.Red podcast, Humphrey Ker, Wrexham’s executive director, disclosed that co-owner Rob McElhenney was adamant about hosting the Welsh star in California until he fully recuperated. However, Mullin politely declined the offer, with Ker explaining that the goalscorer felt too reserved about staying at his boss’s residence for an extended period.

Even though the striker was ‘grateful‘ for McElhenney’s offer, the Welsh striker wanted ‘a bit of space to himself where he could concentrate on his recovery and R&R (rest and relaxation).’ Eventually, Ker revealed that Mullin was joined by his friends, who came to prevent him from feeling lonely, keep an eye on him, and assist him during his recovery. Regardless, it was yet another classy gesture from the Wrexham co-owner.

Moreover, that tale is now behind Paul Mullin, as he returned stronger than ever to lead Wrexham to glory.