TV and radio presenter Richard Bacon out of coma and tweets ‘I’m alive’
Written by News on 17/07/2018
Richard Bacon has tweeted “I’m alive” after spending six days in a medically-induced coma.
The former Blue Peter presenter, who has been living and working in the US, was taken into intensive care after having breathing difficulties while on a plane to the UK.
The 42-year-old TV and radio host confirmed he had suffered a double chest infection, but said the exact type of infection was yet to be identified.
His first tweet after regaining consciousness was about love, quoting late TV presenter Fred Rogers.
Bacon wrote: “We need to help people to discover the true meaning of love. Love is generally confused with dependence. Those of us who have grown in true love know that we can love only in proportion to our capacity for independence”, adding “I’m learning this.”
It prompted a reply from comedian David Baddiel, who wrote: “Very much hope this is actually you tweeting this. In which case: welcome back.”
To which Bacon replied: “Ha. I am alive. Or in Lewisham. Or somewhere between the two.”
In more detailed posts shared with his 1.32 million followers, Bacon wrote: “So I did 6 days straight in a coma. Been here another 4 since. It’s an yet unidentified double chest infection. I nearly died. At one point, as I was as run down a hallway to ICU at midnight, with a massive needle jammed in my chest (bit like Pulp Fiction) I thought, this is it.”
He went on: “How’s is this going to affect my kids’ lives? Who’s going to sit my poor dad down and say”I’m sorry, we did everything we could”. But then I didn’t die. And I didn’t die because I’m on the NHS . VivaTheNHS. See you for your 100th. By which time I probably will have pneumonia”.
Praising the NHS for their care, the father-of-two tweeted: “This is how good Lewisham Hospital is. I walked in off the street simply complaining of being short of breath. With 90 minutes they had placed me into a life saving six day coma. #VivaTheNHS.”
Earlier speculation seemed to point to pneumonia being to blame for his sudden illness.
Bacon’s family had been at his side in intensive care, with his mother Christine and sister Juliet posting updates on social media.
Celebrities who have wished the presenter well include former footballer Gary Lineker, Love Island presenter Caroline Flack and scientist Brian Cox.
Comedian Rufus Hound took a tough love approach, joking: ‘”Congratulations’ on ‘not dying’.”
(c) Sky News 2018: TV and radio presenter Richard Bacon out of coma and tweets ‘I’m alive’
