Couple died three days apart after being treated for coronavirus
A Birmingham couple died within three days of each other after being treated for coronavirus.
Mohammed Riaz and his wife Karamat Begum, from Small Heath, were both taken to Heartlands Hospital.
72-year-old Karamat Begum died on Thursday, April 9 and her 73-year-old husband passed away on April 12.
The grandparents, who had been married for around 50 years, will be buried side-by-side on Saturday, April 18 - their son Naseer Khan's 36th birthday.
Mr Khan said he could not bring himself to tell his father that his mother was also being treated in the same hospital.
He has spoken of how he took a call from the hospital which began: 'We are sorry', and he had to ask which of his parents had died.
He added: “They looked after my older brother, who is registered blind. They doted on their three young grandchildren and my dad took them everywhere.”
Mohammed Riaz fell ill in late March. Mr Khan said: “He had a fall and I called an ambulance. The paramedics said there was a slight chance he might have COVID-19 and to isolate him at home.”
Mr Riaz remained away from his wife but his condition worsened and hewas admitted to Heartlands Hospital.
Mrs Begum was also sent to Heartlands after she was found to havea high temperature when she attended a routine dialysis appointment ata Sparkhill centre.
On April 9, Mr Khan took a phone call from his father’s doctor tellinghim that he was deteriorating and asking if he could go to hisbedside.
Mr Khan briefly left the hospital but as he pulled back up to thehospital gates, his phone rang.
Mr Khan said: “They said ‘we are sorry.’ My mind went blank and Isaid: ‘My mum or my dad?’ Mrs Begum had died.
He then got a call from ‘the same number’ in the early hours of EasterSunday, telling him his dad had died.
He said, within days, his “whole life had collapsed.” He said his "religion" and his "family" were keeping him going, adding he has had "thousands of messages of support".
A JustGiving page to raise £7,000 to build a well in their memory hasbeen set up by a family friend.
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