Grieving man dies of pneumonia after overdosing on pills

A grieving widower struggling to cope with the loss of his wife took an overdose after telling his family he did not want to live without her.

Richard Bryant, 92, had been married to Ruby for 64 years but was feeling low after she died in January last year.

He telephoned his daughter Denise Macey on April 5, and told her he had taken some pills because he wanted to be with his wife. Family members rushed to the retired undertaker’s flat in Barn Close, Hoath, and found him half-conscious sitting in a chair next to a bottle of whisky.

Ambulance

He had taken an overdose of his medication so his family called an ambulance to take him to hospital.

At an inquest in Canterbury on Thursday, coroner Rebecca Cobb heard Mr Bryant later expressed regret for taking the overdose.

But although he recovered from it, other health complications set in and he developed a serious chest infection caused by inhaling food while he was semi-conscious.

He also had other illnesses which weakened his immune system, and despite intensive treatment, died on May 13.

Pathologist Salim Anjarwalla gave the cause of death as pneumonia, but said the overdose had been a contributory factor.

Miss Cobb said that by making his family aware he had taken the overdose, Mr Bryant would have anticipated their intervention.

She recorded a verdict of misadventure.