The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Virus survivor, 100, and daughter are reunited
Centenarian Ken and Helen finally together again, socially distanced, after being apart for four months
A centenarian who defied the odds to survive coronavirus has been reunited with his daughter after four months apart.
Ken Gibb, who lives in Lochleven Care Home in Broughty Ferry, stunned his family when he recovered from the illness in May.
But as the home was closed to visitors, worried daughter Helen Steele was not able to see her father during his ordeal.
Yesterday, the pair were able to reunite in the home’s grounds – even if they were two metres apart.
Helen said: “I can’t put into words how good it was to see him after so long.
“It was so hard being away from him when he was ill so it was lovely to actually see him again.
“It had been four months and a day which felt like such a long time but I think I’ll be able to see him more regularly now so it will feel a bit more normal.
“Just being with him rather than trying to wave up to the window made such a big difference.”
When war veteran Ken fell ill it was thought he had a chest infection, but three weeks later he tested positive for coronavirus.
His family and carers were stunned as they did not expect someone his age to survive.
It was not the first time Ken has beaten the odds. He was shot in Sicily when he was in the army during the Second World War and even returned to the village where it happened, Francofonte, in 2013, at the age of 93.
As he is hard of hearing, staying two metres apart made the reunion more difficult but Helen said she could not believe how healthy her father looked.
She said: “Between his hearing not being great, being two metres apart and me wearing a mask, the conversation was a bit difficult but it was so lovely just to be with him.
“He is looking quiet well, I was happily surprised to see how well he looked.
“Hopefully later my husband and the grandchildren can get to see him too.
“We were telling him stories about what has been happening but it was a lot for him to take in. It would have been lovely to be able to give him a cuddle but that’s a no-no until we know it’s safe.”