Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I was terrified I’d lose my boy ..the NHS did a magnificent job to save him
RICHARD BACON’S MUM ON HIS FIGHTBACK FROM COMA
THE shattered mum of fight-for-life telly host Richard Bacon yesterday told how she feared the worst as she raced to her stricken son’s bedside.
Christine Bacon watched terrified for five painful days as Richard lay in a coma, clinging to life after suffering a double chest infection.
She said the ordeal was a nightmare, admitted that her prayers had been answered – and heaped praise on NHS staff who saved her 42-year-old son.
The father of two, a former Blue Peter and Radio 5 Live host, was taken gravely ill with suspected pneumonia while flying to London from Los Angeles, where he now works.
Richard was placed in a medicallyinduced coma at the University Hospital Lewisham, in South East London.
Christine, 67, and Richard’s wife Rebecca rarely left his side for those five days. The mum, who lives in Mansfield, Notts, with her solicitor husband Paul, 70, told the Sunday Mirror how she got a call to say Richard was in A&E.
She said: “We got in the car and drove to London. It was a nightmare not knowing that he was being put into a coma and not knowing why.
“He was incredibly poorly. We think it was double bronchitis. It’s a good job he was in this country. Had he been in LA I wouldn’t have been able to see him.
“The NHS have done a great job! It was like it was meant to happen this way. He was in a coma, with loads of wires in him and we knew it was critical.
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“When I was at his bedside, and him not knowing I’m there, was surreal really.
“Like any situation you have to deal with it, there’s not an escape. People have been so lovely and kind.
“Being a mother, you can’t imagine losing your kids. As a mother you can’t let yourself really consider that you’re going to lose him, there’s nothing worse.
“It’s not the way things go. He’s not a child but he was my first born and I love him. I thought mainly that ‘you can’t leave us, Richard’.
“But we could have lost him. I can’t imagine. We’re quite a close family. He has two younger sisters, they’ve all got two children.
“It’s been awful. He’s out of hospital now and it’s a massive relief. It’s been such a worry for all of us.
“I go to church but he doesn’t. Friends said we’re praying. I did put on Twitter ‘thank you for your good wishes and prayers’, which have certainly helped.”
As she spoke a new picture showed Richard still looking gaunt but raising a smile as he stood with his hands in his shorts pockets.
He spent 12 days in hospital and Christine described her relief when medics decided to bring him out of the coma.
She went on: “It was a very slow process, but we knew it was going in the right direction, which was wonderful.
“It’s going to take a while for him to be fit again, he’s been through such a lot. He’s lost his muscle so he’ll get back to the gym when he has the strength. For now he’s got to rest and do as he’s told, which is difficult for Richard.
“To wake up and know you’ve lost five days is a lot. He’s a big news buff and he missed so much – the World Cup, Boris Johnson quitting, Wimbledon.
“He would have enjoyed all of that.” Richard went into social media mode as his recovery gathered pace. Before leaving hospital he tweeted that he was “cleared for take off ” – with a picture of his bed.
RELIEF
He added: “Gone within the hour. I don’t know whether I see this as the bed I nearly died in or the bed that saved my life. Either way. I won’t miss it. But I will miss the 50 staff of Lewisham Hospital who definitely saved my life. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.”
Richard was also pictured walking with the help of a frame as Rebecca helped him home from hospital. He has since posted Instagram pictures from outside his London home and with his young children Arthur, six, and Ivy, four.
Christine told how the kids were spared the grim details of her son’s illness – and spoke of the huge relief of her daughters, who are close to Richard.
She said: “Rebecca didn’t tell them a lot about it other than Daddy is poorly.
“Richard and his sisters are all in London so we come down quite a lot.
“It’s just nice that we know we’re going to be a family again.”
Christine also hinted there may be a party to celebrate Richard’s recovery, but added: “We’ve not got that far yet.”
scoops@sundaymirror.co.uk