An eighty-nine-year-old grandad from Kilgetty has thanked NHS staff and members of his much-loved family for helping him to recover from Coronavirus.

After experiencing terrible chest pains Ken Webster of Station Road was rushed to hospital at the start of the lockdown and suffered a heart attack. Eventually he was moved to Morriston Hospital where he had successful surgery to have three stents inserted.

Unfortunately after returning to his home in Kilgetty, Ken a longstanding member of the village’s Buffs Club became extremely ill, collapsing, before being taken to Withybush Hospital on March 27 where he was put on oxygen and tested for Covid-19 as his health deteriorated.

His family faced an anxious wait for news over the next few days whilst he was hospitalised.

“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,” said his granddaughter Laci Morrell of Stepaside.

“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 - turning a corner, and day-by-day he started responding and eventually came off the oxygen and was able to hold his phone to speak to us, as he 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.

Ken who fought in the marines, and has a total of 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren returned home on April 15 to his much-loved family.

“Grandad is getting stronger everyday although he has had a few setbacks,” continued Laci.

“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!”

Through his granddaughter, Ken has also thanked those that got him through the traumatic experience: "I would like to give a huge thank you to the NHS staff - I can’t thank them enough,” he remarked.

“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!” he added.

Laci would especially like to thank her auntie Carol Marklew for her commitment to helping people in Withybush and her fellow frontline care staff.

“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!” she added.