‘Super-fit’ war veteran Denis suffers stroke
PROGRESS, BUT
A FALKLANDS veteran described as “super-fit” has suffered a devastating stroke while in Spain.
Denis Gorman, 61, who was staying with his girlfriend on Gran Canaria, has been left unable to walk or talk.
His son Matt, 26, who lives in Newhall, Swadlincote, said he felt “multiple stages of shock” at the awful news and headed straight out to the Canary Islands to be at his dad’s side.
He said his dad served in the Royal Navy during the Falklands conflict 40 years ago and is a “remarkable” man who “loves adventure”.
“Dad’s a great bloke,” said Matt, who works as an aerospace engineer in Castle Donington.
“He’s retired and he loves sailing more than anything.
“He served in the
Navy during the Falklands. He was also a chef and a navy diver.
“He was always adventurous, he’s done a bit of everything.
“Once you retire, a lot of people like to adventure. I think he took that in his stride..
“During Covid, I was living in Australia. I came back last December to see the family. That was the last time I saw him before his stroke.”
Denis was at a marina where he keeps a boat when he suffered the stroke.
Matt said that he was helped by some Dutch neighbours who were with him at the time.
He said: “He had gone for a walk. The story I was told was that he started getting lost while out there. He made his way back to the marina when he spoke to a Dutch couple moored up next to him.
“They spoke to him and they noticed the signs associated with a stroke, like confusion. When he called his girlfriend, his words were slurring. It was then that the couple called an ambulance for him.
“He was taken to hospital and he was there for two to three weeks. I got a phone call the following day from his girlfriend who told me that ‘things weren’t looking good.’ I went straight out there on the Friday morning.”
On arriving in Gran Canaria, Matt said doctors told him his father was unlikely to ever walk or talk again as the stroke had caused significant brain damage. “I’m still in a bit of a daze to be honest, it is wearing me down” said Matt. Denis has since returned to England to be closer to his family.
“He came back to England about two-three weeks later,” Matt said. “He’s living in Cornwall with his girlfriend. I visit when I can.
“He’s started to walk again, which is remarkable given what we saw at the time. His speech still has a long way to go. He’s making progress.”
ATTACK HAS HAD DEVASTATING IMPACT ON HIM
Doctors said Denis, 61, was unlikely to ever walk or talk again as the stroke had caused significant brain damage