A loyal father who was ‘match and wholesome’ and had been recovering from the coronavirus died gasping for breath as his spouse and 10-year-old daughter watched on helplessly.
Dom Merrix appeared to have overcome the virus, however his situation took a flip for the more severe and the 48-year-old abruptly collapsed on Thursday morning at his dwelling in Portsmouth.
The aspiring soccer coach had self-isolated over two weeks in the past because of the reality he had been experiencing signs of the virus.
He had been residing within the downstairs space of the household dwelling and his spouse Sarah, 44, and daughter Ellie-Mai had been residing upstairs.
Dom Merrix (pictured above together with his spouse Sarah and daughter Ellie-Mai) died on Thursday
Dom had been residing within the downstairs space of the household dwelling with the intention to keep away from his daughter Ellie-Mae and spouse Sarah (Dom and Ellie-Mai are pictured collectively above
Sarah referred to as an ambulance as Dom struggled to breath. Paramedics arrived at their dwelling and helped Dom into the ambulance.
Tragically, he suffered a coronary heart assault whereas within the ambulance and regardless of valiant efforts by medics, he died earlier than reaching Queen Alexandra Hospital.
The tragic information comes as:
- A complete of 406 deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales registered as much as April three occurred outdoors of hospitals, based on provisional figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics;
- Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit out at stories medical protecting gear has been diverted from Scottish care houses to English ones, saying she ‘is not going to stand by and be handled unfairly’;
- Academics are ‘disturbed’ by ‘unhelpful’ hypothesis that faculties and schools will reopen quickly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the most important training union in Europe;
- 10 Downing Avenue’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, has returned to work after going into self-isolation when Mr Johnson examined optimistic for the coronavirus;
- Boris Johnson just isn’t taking any cellphone calls or receiving official papers as he recuperates from coronavirus at Chequers in Buckinghamshire, his spokesperson stated;
- Authorities advisers criticised the ‘all or nothing’ strategy to lockdown and stated there is no such thing as a proof that sunbathing presents a transmission threat;
- It was revealed the UK has missed three probabilities to take part in an EU scheme to purchase enormous portions of private protecting gear (PPE) for NHS employees;
- Europe took its first tentative steps in the direction of a return to normality as some international locations together with Austria, Italy and Spain begin to re-open companies.
Dom had not been formally recognized with the coronavirus however his household and associates imagine he had the sickness.
Now a household good friend has warned anybody may die from the illness and has urged individuals to remain inside.
Rachel Hibbert stated that folks suppose it is not going to occur to them as a result of they’re match an younger.
Dom (pictured above with spouse Sarah) felt regular when he acquired up final week and even browsed social media
Dom had just lately misplaced his job at power agency SSE, the place he had labored for 15 years, he’s pictured above with daughter Ellie-Mae
The 37-year-old added: ‘Dom was match and younger and it killed him. It’s torn his household aside and left them devastated.
‘This virus is taking the lives of younger, match, wholesome individuals – not simply these with underlying well being situations…It places the worry of God in me that Dom can simply drop like that.’
On the morning of his demise, Dom awakened and appeared ‘regular’, stated Rachel, scrolling by means of Twitter, even retweeting a message supporting the NHS hours earlier than he died.
Talking of the ordeal on behalf of Dom’s household, Rachel stated he had textual content his daughter to open the home windows as he had been struggling to breathe, earlier than texting his spouse for assist.
‘Sarah got here downstairs and located him on his arms and knees struggling to breathe. When the paramedics arrived they put him on the trolley and requested him to lean again however he couldn’t do it.
‘That was it. Then the doorways to the ambulance shut. They didn’t see him alive once more.
‘His coronary heart stopped and the paramedics spent 20 minutes outdoors the home making an attempt to get it began once more. By the point he acquired to hospital they couldn’t convey him again.’
She stated his daughter had been watching from the window of the property.
Dom had just lately misplaced his job at power agency SSE, the place he had labored for 15 years.
Rachel has since began a fundraising appeal to assist Dom’s grieving family members pay for his funeral at Portchester Crematorium.
And inside two days the enchantment attracted donations from virtually 300 individuals, elevating greater than £6,000.
‘Sarah and Ellie-Mai have been blown away by all of the help,’ Rachel added. ‘They’re overwhelmed. Dom’s demise has left an enormous gap of their lives.
‘They’ll now have the funeral that Dom deserves. It’ll additionally give them just a few months of not worrying about cash.’
Dom, who was a Portsmouth Soccer Membership fan and long-term season ticket holder, is having a bespoke blue Pompey casket made.
Pompey’s chief government, Mark Catlin stated he was horrified by the demise of the aspiring novice soccer coach and hoped the Blues’ group would rally behind the household.
He added: ‘I used to be shocked to listen to of the passing of Dom Merrix final week. Like many Pompey followers, I knew Dom had contracted Covid-19, however thought he had made a full restoration.
‘Each personally – and on behalf of my household and the membership – my honest ideas and condolences exit to Sarah and Ellie-Mai.. Sadly, too many households have misplaced family members over current weeks.’