A 92-year-old husband has died from Covid just one day after his wife of 67 years also passed away from the virus.
Audrey, 88, and Jim Martin were both admitted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital in January.
Mrs Martin died on January 26 and Mr Martin died the following day. Their deaths follow the passing of a childhood sweetheart couple who had been married for 56 years.
Leigh and Cynthia Bryant passed away within seven hours of each other while 40 miles apart in separate hospitals.
Audrey, 88, and Jim Martin were both admitted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital in January
Great-grandparents Leigh, 77, and Cynthia, 75, from Wellington, Somerset, were struck down with the virus last month.
Mr and Mrs Martin’s daughter in law, Karen, led tributes to the Weston Coyney couple.
The 58-year-old, from Longton, said: ‘They adored one another. They did everything together, everything.
‘When we got to the hospital dad was holding Mum’s hand. They’d put the beds together and played them Glenn Miller, John Denver, and all the music they liked all afternoon.
‘Dad was over the moon to see us. He said ‘how have you got in, how are you here?’. ‘Why have they let you in?’.
Mrs Martin died on January 26 and Mr Martin died the following day
Mr and Mrs Martin’s (pictured in their youth) daughter in law, Karen, led tributes to the Weston Coyney couple. The 58-year-old, from Longton, said: ‘They adored one another. They did everything together, everything’
‘Then of course we had to tell him about mum, and he was broken-hearted. He was pleased we were there but broken-hearted, and that’s when he said ‘I’ve got nothing to live for’.
‘They always said they would go together. We were able to spend the rest of the time with them so my husband could hold mum’s hand, and I was with dad so I could hold dad’s hand until mum passed away.
‘It was peaceful because dad was there holding her hand. Dad went the day after.’
The couple met in their early 20s when farmer Jim approached Audrey’s brother to see if he could ask her to go on a date with him. They went dancing, a hobby they kept up throughout their long, happy life together. Another passion was gardening.
Cynthia was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton on January 5, after testing positive for the disease.
Great-grandparents Leigh, 77, and Cynthia Bryant, 75, from Wellington, Somerset, died 40 miles apart in separate hospitals after being struck down by Covid
Leigh, a former Band Knife Operator, was then also admitted to the same hospital three days later after also falling ill with the coronavirus.
Leigh was later transferred to Southmead Hospital, in Bristol, after showing signs of improvement, but soon took a turn for the worse.
Their family was devastated when Cynthia died at 6.15pm on Friday, January 22, and her husband died at 1.15am the next day.
One of their two sons, Kevin, speaking after the funeral last week said: ‘Today I feel so empty, I think I’m in shock now. I’ve cried too much.
Devastated family members say the couple had been inseparable for 56 years before Cynthia was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton on January 5, after testing positive for coronavirus. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day
Cynthia died at 6.15pm on Friday, January 22, and her husband died at 1.15am the next day
‘We were going to say goodbye to mum – I was at least 10 steps from door of hospital when I had a phone call from Southmead saying dad was going the same way.
‘You can see what emotions were like – me and my brother were numb with it in shock.
‘The thing I’m not dealing with the best is that normally when one parent passes away you can go visit the parent left and revisit memories with them.
‘And then later on you may prepare yourself for them going as well.
‘But to have two taken in one go – they’ve been taken away so drastically and quick.’
Cynthia and Leigh met in their early teens and hadn’t been apart in 50 years before Cynthia was admitted into Musgrove.
One of their two sons, Kevin, said: ‘We were going to say goodbye to mum – I was at least 10 steps from door of hospital when I had a phone call from Southmead saying dad was going the same way’
‘We never saw this coming. They were very much switched-on grandparents who regularly attended football matches to watch their grandchildren play,’ he added. Their funeral took place on Wednesday
Leigh played football for Wellington in his younger days but retired relatively early to bring up his family.
Kevin and his brother Darren also played football for Wellington – their parents following them home and away through rain or shine.
Kevin added: ‘We could not have had better parents. They were inseparable and went everywhere together.
‘They were lovely and role models. Their family was everything to them.
‘We never saw this coming. They were very much switched-on grandparents who regularly attended football matches to watch their grandchildren play.
‘I couldn’t even imagine how many miles they’ve travelled.’
Leigh and Cynthia’s funeral took place at Taunton Deane Crematorium last Wednesday.