'They did everything for us': Woman's tribute to parents who died of coronavirus within 24 hours

  • Video report by ITV News Reporter Martha Fairlie

A woman who lost her mother and father to coronavirus within 24 hours has paid tribute to her family’s “rocks”.

Fiona Vallely had to say goodbye to her mother, Isabel, in hospital at the weekend before receiving a call to say her father’s condition had become critical.

Christopher, 79, then died by the time they returned home.

“He was great, fun-loving, talked to everybody,” Ms Vallely said of her father.

Fiona's parents were married for 53 years.

“My mum was just an amazing, amazing, lovely woman and they would both just do anything for anybody, and we were all just a really, really tight-knit family.

“So they're all rocks, they did everything for us, just amazing people.

“This weekend... I think we're just completely still in shock, can't believe it, both parents, within such a short, short time.

“But we're just hoping now that they're together and at peace, it's hard just losing both your parents to this illness.

“But now we can't bury them and give them the send-off that they deserve.”

Fiona’s parents were married for 53 years last Friday, but spent the next day in hospital as their health deteriorated.

She wondered if “maybe we hadn’t taken it [the outbreak] seriously enough”, but added she thought they had done everything asked.

In a video call with ITV News, she wanted to urge the public to listen to the Government’s advice.

“It shows that even though our parents were elderly, they fought everything, but they couldn't fight this illness,” she added.

“Listen to everything, the Government guidelines, stay safe... stay home.”

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