A bar owner sent a text to his wife asking her to "look after my kids" before his heart stopped for 17 minutes.
Andrew Mikhail was hospitalised for six months after contracting coronavirus. During this time, Andrew, who is chairman of Mikhail Hotel & Leisure Group, which owns the Lord Street and Bold hotels in Southport, the Punch Tarmey's and Doctor Duncan's bars and other venues, spent weeks fighting for his life in intensive care of Wigan Hospital.
After 16 days in hospital it became clear it was critical for Andrew to be placed on a ventilator. He said at that stage he fully believed he would die, and sent text messages to his wife Vicky and business partner Rob Ashcroft saying "look after my kids".
In a previous interview with the ECHO, Andrew said: "They asked if I wanted to call my wife and kids, but I was gasping for breath and I just said no. I didn't want the last time they saw me to be like that, I didn't want them to remember me like that.
"They did it straight away, and that's the last thing I remember."
As Andrew was sedated staff at the hospital called Vicky and advised her to come in. But by the time Vicky arrived at hospital, Andrew had gone into cardiac arrest and was on the verge of death.
Andrew's heart stopped for nearly 20 minutes before the NHS medical team managed to successfully restart his heart and brought him back to life, Lancs Live reports. During the traumatic ordeal, Andrew's mind was firmly focussed on fighting as hard as he could so that he could stay with his family and continue to be a loving husband and father.
He told Stand Up For Southport if it wasn't for the incredible nurses and doctors who helped him, he may not have made it.
He is now determined to show his thanks by hosting a glittering ‘Thank You NHS’ Gala Dinner at The Grand in Southport this January, with funds going towards the ICU Steps charity. Andrew also wants to pay tribute to the 200,000 people and families who sadly were not as fortunate as him.
The event will take place on January 21, 2023, as a personal thank you from Andrew, dedicated to “all the wonderful NHS staff and in memory of all the people who lost their lives or who have been affected by Covid”.
Radio and panto star Claire Simmo will host the dinner, with entertainment from comedian Mick Miller, swing singer Asa Murphy and the Soul Kinda Wonderful group. Tickets are available here.
Andrew said: “I will forever be thankful to the NHS team who brought me back to life and to ICU Steps for supporting my wife and children when I could not, there are no words, deeds or donations that will ever express my gratitude. It is my absolute honour to be hosting this gala dinner in support of this amazing charity. It seems only fitting that this gala dinner, held in a building I brought back to life, will benefit those who brought me back to life.”
Tickets are £75 with tables of 8 people available. For more information click here.
Mikhail Hotel and Leisure is a substantial investor in Southport, owning The Grand, the Bold Hotel, the Lord Street Hotel, the Lord Street Sports Bar, Punch Tarmey’s Irish themed bar and operating the centre bar inside Southport Market.
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