Doctor son shares heartbreaking footage of coronavirus dad in family’s last Facetime call
A DOCTOR has shared the heartbreaking footage of his family’s last Facetime call before his dad died of the coronavirus.
Alex Yuen, 71, died in St George’s Hospital in Tooting days after collapsing at home.
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Mr Yuen, who ran a Chinese clinic for 20 years, was on a ventilator receiving treatment for the coronavirus when he spoke to his son, Sebastian in their final Facetime call.
Sebastien told ITV news he didn’t think it would be their final conversation.
The family shared a laugh and said they loved each other in during their final chat.
“We all said we loved each other and we were deeply present in that moment, it was so powerful,” said Sebastian.
“All of this brings some form of closure and he wasn’t alone, he knew we were there… that video call, previously I would have thought you had to be in the same room, but that was truly real and I just hope other people can experience that, that was a moment I’ll keep with me.”
Sebastien described his dad as a “very passionate person” who was “always the life and soul of a party” and “the loudest in the room”.
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Mr Yuen had underlying health conditions and so he had a “fear” about going into hospital.
Speaking about his dad’s illness, Sebastien added: “He was slow to answer questions at times, his lips looked dry and yet his mind was clear, [he said] I don’t want to die alone, don’t make me go to hospital, I want to stay here.”
Sebastien, who works as a paediatrician at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, called for improvements to technology to help people communicate and for WiFi in NHS hospitals to be boosted so that people can stay in touch.
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Rhiannon Emary, a clinical nurse specialist at St George’s Hospital, helped look after Mr Yuen.
When she asked the 71-year-old patient at the end what she could do for him he responded with a touching statement.
“He said ‘I just want to feel love’, so I relayed that back to his family, which I found quite emotional,” Ms Emary told ITV News.