Heartbroken Gretton woman’s stark plea after her husband’s death from coronavirus

‘We never thought this would happen to us and took great care’
Mick Pavitt, who tragically died at KGH last week.Mick Pavitt, who tragically died at KGH last week.
Mick Pavitt, who tragically died at KGH last week.

A grief-stricken woman from Gretton has pleaded with local people to stick to coronavirus guidelines after her beloved husband of 43 years died from the virus.

Terri Meechan, a Corby Radio presenter, organiser of Corby Carnival and former borough councillor wrote the message after her husband Mick Pavitt died in hospital in the early hours of Thursday (May 21).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He had been admitted to Kettering General Hospital for treatment for an existing condition and it’s believed he caught Covid-19 while there. Because of the restriction on visiting, Terri and her daughter Clare, son Harry and granddaughter Eve were unable to see him during his hospital stay and weren’t with him when he died.

Terri and Mick, who had been together for 43 yearsTerri and Mick, who had been together for 43 years
Terri and Mick, who had been together for 43 years

Terri told the Northants Telegraph that she has felt compelled to speak out because she knew it was what Mick would have wanted.

She said: “The reason I wrote my feelings down was purely for my own benefit, to vent my anger and to try and get the hurt out, trying to make sense of what happened and make me feel better. But as I read it back I thought about what I had written and what Mick would have said to me. He would have said “don’t tell me, tell them, do something about it.

”So I made the decision to post on my Facebook page and pray that something good will come it of Mick dying from this horrible, cruel virus.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here, in her own words Terri explains the impact of her husband’s death:

“I don’t normally share my personal or private feelings or mine or my family’s business on social media, but just this once, I need to do something and I need to vent. So I would like to maybe try and get something positive out of Mick’s passing by trying to make people understand just how important social distancing and the current lockdown rules are, especially for vulnerable people like Mick was and just how the passing of a loved one due to this virus has actually affected us as a family.

“Mick caught the virus in hospital, possibly from someone who didn’t even know they had it – and a week after testing positive, he lost the battle to breathe. This was the harsh reality and these are the consequences..

“We were not allowed to visit him at any time whilst he was in hospital, so it was over two weeks since we saw him last.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We could not be with him by his side to hold his hand when he passed.

“We were thankfully allowed to see him (one at a time) on the Ward for 10 minutes afterwards but had to wear the necessary PPE and he also had to have a mask on, so we couldn’t kiss him goodbye.

“We cannot dress him in his own clothes to be buried and neither myself, Harry, Clare or Eve can go and see him in the chapel of rest before his final journey.

“You have no idea at all how devastating this is, not to be able to say our final goodbye to him privately, especially for Eve who didn’t see him at the hospital after, as she lives in Cambridge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

”She doted on her Grandad. My kids and my grandchild are suffering because of this.

“Now, he cannot have the great send-off with all his family and friends that he deserves – instead a small simple graveside service and burial with just the immediate family there social distancing and not able to hug and comfort each other is all he can have. It’s devastating.

“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can I ask everyone to be mindful of the rules on social distancing.

“We never thought this would happen to us and took great care. Consider if you are one of those who don’t, one of those whose whole family go shopping together, those who throw their kids out to play without caring or wondering who they are mixing with closely on the playground or park. Those who trip off to the seaside or other parks, waters etc because it’s a sunny day, those who think they are invincible, those who think it only affects the elderly or vulnerable and that the young can’t carry it or get ill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Think about those in your own families who are vulnerable and who could maybe not survive this virus if they caught it – possibly because somebody was inconsiderate or careless.

“If this message saves at least one person, or influences others to be more careful and mindful and helps to stop this wicked, evil virus that is crucifying and devastating so many families at the moment – then Mick's death and what we are going through right now as a family wont have been in vain.

“I’m heartbroken, but thank you all and please stay safe.”

Related topics: