A CONSTRUCTION worker who was thought to be hours away from death from Covid-19 has been released from Worcestershire Royal Hospital this week after a "miraculous recovery".

Victor McCleary, 57, of Worcester, is sharing his story to warn others of the dangers of coronavirus, after spending a month in intensive care and a total of 65 days in hospital.

The dad-of-two and grandad-of-four said: “I started hearing about coronavirus at the beginning of March, same as everyone else really. My work in construction takes me all over the place and I was still working up until March 23. I have to be honest, I wasn’t really worried, I didn’t realise the extent of the virus, I imagined it would just be like flu. I am a large bloke and very fit and healthy so I wasn’t too phased by it."

Mr McCleary, of Hillery Road in the Red Hill area of Worcester, said he began to feel ill on Friday, March 27 and him and his partner, Helen Madden, who works at the hospital as a cleaner, decided to self-isolate for two weeks.

He said: “I knew how I felt was not normal. I have never been ill and not missed a day of work for 17 years. I was losing my breath walking up the stairs, I would get dizzy and my temperature rose to 42.

“The following Sunday morning I told Helen I couldn’t breathe, so she called 111 and within 10 minutes the ambulance was with us. I was rushed to hospital with suspected coronavirus and the next day I was in intensive care. I have no real memories of my time in ICU, I was so very ill.

"I kept having the worst dreams – they felt so real, even today I think of them.”

Whilst Mr McCleary was in intensive care his family were left in limbo.

He said: “It was an awful time for them. Helen had lost her father to coronavirus and my daughter had just given birth to my newest grandson, Noah. The doctors told them that it was likely I wouldn’t survive. They said I could pass on at any moment. I was on 100 per cent oxygen at this point and unable to breathe by myself. My family were absolutely devastated."

But Mr McCleary’s condition miraculously improved, and he said this was down to the fact he was so well looked after in Worcestershire Royal.

He added: “I recovered remarkably quickly, and now all things considered I am doing really well. I take my hat off to the staff at the hospital, they went above and beyond for me and are the reason I am still here today.

“Although I am still recovering even now. When I left hospital I was nine stone. I remember looking down at my body in shock and thinking I had been in a car crash. Someone had stolen my body. I only saw skin and bone.

“I couldn’t move. I had to learn to sit up then learn to walk. I was given a food supplement through a syringe into my stomach due to the damage done to my vocal cords. I always felt hungry but there was no other way.

“This has been so hard for me. It was a terrifying journey. I still feel so weak. Going up stairs is like climbing a mountain."

“My message to everyone is be seriously aware of what this virus is. It kills. If I can get it, anyone can. Please don’t take the chance.”

Mr McCleary is now recuperating at home with his family, and has asked Helen, his partner of 37 years to marry him.