A victim at the centre of the infamous OJ Simpson robbery in Las Vegas has said he not only forgives the ex-American football star, but would even pick him up from jail when she is released. On 20 July, it was disclosed Simpson could be let out as early as October after serving nine years of a 33-year sentence.

Bruce Fromong, 63, was targeted in a robbery back in September 2007 when a group of men – including Simpson – stormed into his room at a Las Vegas hotel at gunpoint and stole around £75,000-worth of sports memorabilia including balls, helmets, books and photos.

"I could have died that night," Fromong said. "They only needed to pull the trigger and I would have been dead. Just two days after the robbery, I had a severe heart attack. It was one of four I'd endure.

"I flatlined twice. I had three on the Monday alone after the robbery on a Thursday night.

"The second time they hooked me up to machines for two-and-a-half hours. I received some brain damage and it has been very difficult ever since.

"A lot of people don't realise how this has affected me. It nearly killed me. I used to be a millionaire and now I've faced bankruptcy. While I was fighting for my life I was unable to run my business.

"We lost everything including our house in Oregon. Despite it all, I still forgive OJ. Some people think I'm crazy, but it is the way I have been brought up."

OJ Simpson was arrested by authorities in September 2007 for his involvement in the robbery. He later admitted taking the items from Fromong but denied that the group of men was armed. The year later, on 5 December 2008, he was handed a sentence of more than 30 years.

Despite almost losing his life in the robbery, Fromong told the Mirror that he backed Simpson's application for early release and said he had accepted an earlier face-to-face apology from the troubled former star, who has previously been embroiled in accusations of murder.

"He was walking to the rest room and I was walking back," Fromong said while describing meeting Simpson during his initial trial. "Here's the guy that robbed me at gunpoint and me as the victim. We actually ended up shaking hands despite me giving evidence against him the day before."

According to the Sunday Mirror, Fromong then offered to pick him up from jail. "It's just too bad we didn't talk it out," he said. "If he just said in the hotel room 'everyone out, me and Bruce are going to talk' none of this would've happened. He would have never gone to jail.

He added: "We have this saying: 'It is what it is', which means 'hey, we move on'."

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