A STEPASIDE student has shared the story of her 89-year-old Kilgetty grandad who survived coronavirus.

Laci Morrell said: “My grandad, Ken Webster is 89 years old and he fought in the marines. He has six children and 24 grandchildren so he is a very busy and loved man.

“During the start of lockdown my grandad started to have terrible pains in his chest and had to be rushed to hospital. They soon realised he had a heart attack and needed three stents put in his heart.

“He then got rushed to Morriston hospital to have his surgery, after this grandad was sent home very weak but we were all glad he was home. Unfortunately, grandad became extremely ill had a fit and collapsed.

“Once again, he was rushed to hospital. At this point we were all terrified as we did not know what was wrong and how grandad was; he was unable to pick up his phone, eat or help himself, it was very scary as grandad was all by himself because we were not allowed to see him and were unable to talk to him.”

Ken was rushed to Withybush, where his health deteriorated, and he had to be put on oxygen.

“The hospital did a Covid-19 test on him,” said Laci “and it was really frightening because we did not know what was going to happen, we were all devastated when they gave us the results as grandad tested positive.”

Ken was in Withybush from March 27 to April 15.

Laci and family faced an anxious wait for news.

“The days that followed left us feeling empty, lost and helpless. The nursing staff at Withybush hospital supported and helped grandad at this very worrying time.

“My grandad taught us to never give up and he did just that, he never gave up.

“Grandad turned a corner, day-by-day he started responding and eventually came off the oxygen and was able to hold his phone to speak to us and continued to get stronger.

“We all knew that Grandad’s goal was to get home. And he came home not long after, very fragile as he had been through quite a traumatic time and had eaten hardly anything for a month.

“Grandad is getting stronger everyday although he has had a few setbacks.

“I would like to give a huge thank you to the staff at Withybush for helping my grandad survive what he has been through. The NHS are his heroes, and grandad is mine. Thankyou.”

Ken, in a messaged passed on through Laci, said: "I would like to give a huge thank-you to the NHS staff, and I can't thank them enough. I would also like to thank the family for all their support during these very difficult times. When I first fell ill, I felt awful weak and 'dead,' and while in the hospital I was extremely lonely.

“I can't really remember much until I started getting better. Never give up.”

Laci added: “I would love to mention Carol Marklew, my auntie for her commitment to helping people in Withybush, as she is a key worker, and spent time seeing my grandad to make sure he wasn't on his own, as well as the nurses she works with, who are like her second family, as they were there for her when the times got hard.”