Katie is slammed as she leaves sick Harvey to head off on her hols
She says she’s ‘heartbroken’ – but fans are outraged
She spent recent weeks fearing the worst, after her eldest son Harvey, 18, was rushed to hospital with breathing problems and a dangerously high temperature, spending ten days in intensive care. So, it’s fair to say that Katie Price could do with a holiday. But the star sparked massive criticism last week after deciding to leave Harvey at home to go on a family holiday to Turkey, just days after his release from hospital, having been told that the teen – who has Prader-willi syndrome and autism, and is also partially blind – was not fit to travel.
Insiders say that while Katie was “heartbroken” at having to leave Harvey behind, she had decided to go for the sake of her older children, Junior, 15, and Princess, 13. But some fans lashed out, slamming the star for leaving Harvey behind with his carer instead of rearranging the trip.
Apparently, Katie and her new boyfriend Carl Woods – who she began dating in June – had booked their first holiday together before Harvey was admitted to hospital, and had planned to take Harvey, Junior and Princess with them. Her other two children, Jett, six, and five-year-old Bunny, were always going to stay home. Apparently, she’d held out hope that Harvey would still be able to
‘Doctors said it would be better if he stayed home’
go away following his hospital discharge, but was gutted after “doctors told her it would be better for his health if he stayed at home”. A source explained, “She’s heartbroken, but of course, she’ll take their advice.”
A spokesperson for Katie later said that she had made the difficult decision to go on holiday without Harvey, because,
“Spending time now with both Princess and Junior is equally as important as the time she has spent dedicated to Harvey. As a mother of five, Katie has learnt that she must divide her love five ways – not an easy task – but she still remains focused on being the best mother to them all.” The representative added, “Harvey will remain in the wonderful care of his carer and with his youngest siblings Jett and Bunny.”
But while Katie argued that she was keeping her holiday plans for the sake of her older kids – who’d been desperately worried about their eldest brother (especially because Harvey was first admitted to hospital on Princess’ 13th birthday) – her decision sparked a backlash online. One follower wrote, “Poor Harvey, he has been through enough. Just awful behaviour from Katie – this is the lowest of the low!” While another weighed in, “If she was that ‘heartbroken’ she wouldn’t go. The other children are old enough to understand that plans sometimes have to change.”
Harvey returned home from intensive care earlier this month, after getting the all-clear from doctors – who had previously warned Katie that her son’s “complex problems” had put him in a “perilous condition”. Celebrating Harvey’s return home, Katie told fans, “It feels like Christmas. I can’t stop smiling.” But while followers praised Katie’s bravery during her son’s hospital stay, many were shocked at her holiday plans, with one writing, “If my child had been in hospital, there is no way I’d be jetting off on holiday! This woman has her priorities all wrong.” n