British Pakistani wakes from coma to learn mother died of Covid-19

LONDON: A British Pakistani entertainment executive woke up from a month long induced coma only to find out that his mother had passed away after losing a battle to Covid-19 in the same hospital.

Sohail Anjum spent 25 days in a medically-induced coma at Croydon University Hospital battling a severe form of the deadly virus, but when he regained consciousness almost a month later, he learnt that his mother had passed away a few days after he had been admitted to hospital. After spending six weeks in hospital, the 47-year-old finally returned home to his father, 85, and wife but to a changed world where his mother, 81, was no more.

He told The News: “I was in an induced coma when my mother passed away in the hospital. They allowed my brother to see her under exceptional circumstances for the last time as the hospital was on lockdown and no visitation was allowed. She asked about me and told my brother that she was praying for my health. I believe it was my mother’s prayer before she passed away that saved my life.”

Anjum said: “I am thankful for another life but I have come back to life to find that my mother is no more around. I am still weak and in need of physiotherapy and will take a few months to be on my feet again. I cannot explain in words how dangerous Covid-19 is. My advice to everyone is to take Covid-19 seriously. It’s a killer and it’s real. Don’t believe in conspiracy theories. It poses a threat to everyone, universally.”

Anjum is not sure how he contracted coronavirus but confirmed he was travelling widely on London’s public transport network and could have contracted it from there. He started having symptoms around the second week of March and remained in self-isolation at home and was then taken to Croydon University Hospital.

His mother started showing symptoms a few days after he was admitted and taken to the same hospital. She passed away a few days later and buried shortly after, while her son was on a ventilator battling for his life. Doctors did not tell him his mother had died to save him from trauma.

Anjum, a photographer, has worked with many Bollywood and Pakistani celebrities as a photographer and his work has previously appeared in international publications.

His hospital admission and his battle with the deadly virus gained a lot of attention on social media with prominent celebrities including Mahira Khan, Haroon, Faakhir, Abhishek Bachchan, Raghav, Salman Ahmad, Ali Zafar and Gauhar Khan sending good wishes. Along with showbiz celebrities from India and Pakistan, community members, prominent journalists and close friends, social media users touched by his plight offered prayers.