KirstyJay
22-09-2011, 15:34
A CELTIC fan was last night fighting for his life after choking on his Sunday lunch before the Old Firm match.
Grandad Tommy McGinn, 65, “died” when a piece of roast beef became lodged in his throat and he stopped breathing before collapsing on the floor of a restaurant.
The fitness fanatic, from Craigneuk in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, was on a three-week holiday with his wife Ella, 63, in Tenerife when he took ill on Sunday just minutes before the Celtic v Rangers game.
Shocked restaurant staff called an ambulance and paramedics battled to bring him back to life.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was put in an “induced coma” and on a life support machine.
Retired electrical engineer Tommy’s family were last night “praying for a miracle” over fears he could have suffered brain damage.
Doctors will perform surgery on Tommy today to remove a blood clot and investigate any damage caused by the lack of oxygen to his brain.
His son Tommy jnr, 36, also from Craigneuk, told how the operation had given the family fresh hope that his dad will survive.
On Monday doctors told them to consider saying good-bye to Tommy and switching off the life support machine.
Tommy’s daughter Marrisa, 34, her partner Edward and their 12-year-old Edward arrived in the island resort of Los Cristianos to be by his bedside and give Ella support.
Yesterday they called Tommy jnr to tell him about the life-saving operation.
Last night Tommy jnr said: “I thought we were going to lose my dad and that we would have to switch off the life support machine but now we have been told that doctors are going to operate and they think he will be ok.
“I still can’t take in what happened. My dad was fit and healthy, there was never anything wrong with him.He power walked every day and went to the gym. He looks after himself and loves life.
“He lives for his family, particularly his five grandkids. He is the best dad and granddad anyone could wish for. He loves them so much and we would all be lost without him.
“He went on holiday a week ago with my mum and they planned to spend three weeks there before coming home and my dad was going to take his three grandsons to Barcelona to meet some of the footballers.
“Mum and dad were always taking their grandkids away on holiday with them and they had just come back from two weeks in Alicante with all five of them when they left for a wee break on their own to Tenerife.
“He has been a Celtic fan all his life but he would always put his family before the football.
“My dad had gone out for a relaxing Sunday roast with my mum before they went to watch the Old Firm match.
“He choked on a bit of roast beef and fell to the floor. We were told he died in the restaurant because his brain was starved of oxygen and the paramedics brought him back to life.
“Dad was taken to hospital where they put him on a life support machine and put in a coma to give him the best chance of survival.
“We have no idea if my dad has any brain damage but the doctors are hopeful that the operation will do the trick.
“They will perform surgery on his brain to see if there is any damage and remove a blood clot.
“His chances are good - much better than they were just a day ago when we thought he was going to die. We were told to prepare for switching off the life support machine.
“I am still in shock and haven’t slept for days. The whole family are praying he makes a full recovery and we just want him home.
“My dad is very well known and well liked in the community and everyone is praying for him and lighting a candle.”
source (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/2011/09/21/grandad-fighting-for-life-after-choking-on-sunday-lunch-before-old-firm-clash-86908-23435259/)
Grandad Tommy McGinn, 65, “died” when a piece of roast beef became lodged in his throat and he stopped breathing before collapsing on the floor of a restaurant.
The fitness fanatic, from Craigneuk in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, was on a three-week holiday with his wife Ella, 63, in Tenerife when he took ill on Sunday just minutes before the Celtic v Rangers game.
Shocked restaurant staff called an ambulance and paramedics battled to bring him back to life.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was put in an “induced coma” and on a life support machine.
Retired electrical engineer Tommy’s family were last night “praying for a miracle” over fears he could have suffered brain damage.
Doctors will perform surgery on Tommy today to remove a blood clot and investigate any damage caused by the lack of oxygen to his brain.
His son Tommy jnr, 36, also from Craigneuk, told how the operation had given the family fresh hope that his dad will survive.
On Monday doctors told them to consider saying good-bye to Tommy and switching off the life support machine.
Tommy’s daughter Marrisa, 34, her partner Edward and their 12-year-old Edward arrived in the island resort of Los Cristianos to be by his bedside and give Ella support.
Yesterday they called Tommy jnr to tell him about the life-saving operation.
Last night Tommy jnr said: “I thought we were going to lose my dad and that we would have to switch off the life support machine but now we have been told that doctors are going to operate and they think he will be ok.
“I still can’t take in what happened. My dad was fit and healthy, there was never anything wrong with him.He power walked every day and went to the gym. He looks after himself and loves life.
“He lives for his family, particularly his five grandkids. He is the best dad and granddad anyone could wish for. He loves them so much and we would all be lost without him.
“He went on holiday a week ago with my mum and they planned to spend three weeks there before coming home and my dad was going to take his three grandsons to Barcelona to meet some of the footballers.
“Mum and dad were always taking their grandkids away on holiday with them and they had just come back from two weeks in Alicante with all five of them when they left for a wee break on their own to Tenerife.
“He has been a Celtic fan all his life but he would always put his family before the football.
“My dad had gone out for a relaxing Sunday roast with my mum before they went to watch the Old Firm match.
“He choked on a bit of roast beef and fell to the floor. We were told he died in the restaurant because his brain was starved of oxygen and the paramedics brought him back to life.
“Dad was taken to hospital where they put him on a life support machine and put in a coma to give him the best chance of survival.
“We have no idea if my dad has any brain damage but the doctors are hopeful that the operation will do the trick.
“They will perform surgery on his brain to see if there is any damage and remove a blood clot.
“His chances are good - much better than they were just a day ago when we thought he was going to die. We were told to prepare for switching off the life support machine.
“I am still in shock and haven’t slept for days. The whole family are praying he makes a full recovery and we just want him home.
“My dad is very well known and well liked in the community and everyone is praying for him and lighting a candle.”
source (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/2011/09/21/grandad-fighting-for-life-after-choking-on-sunday-lunch-before-old-firm-clash-86908-23435259/)