Middlesbrough star Adam Clayton hailed his dad’s “incredible” recovery – as he was given a guard of honour after 51 DAYS in intensive care with coronavirus.
And it is the SECOND time Manchester United-mad Steve has beaten the odds to survive a serious coma – after the thought of seeing his son become a top player helped inspire his fight for life 24 years ago.
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Grateful Steve Clayton thanked staff at at North Manchester General Hospital ICU as he left intensive care after beating coronavirusCredit: https://twitter.com/Clayts15
Covid-19 survivor Steve Clayton was given a cheery send-off from intensive careCredit: https://twitter.com/Clayts15
Their was relief and joy for Middlesbrough star Adam and his family after Steve’s ‘incredible’ recoveryCredit: https://twitter.com/Clayts15
Alongside a clip of his dad being cheered away from ICU, midfielder Adam said of the NHS: “Thank you… without you wonderful people we wouldn’t be celebrating today.”
Amazingly, Steve had also regained health in 1996 when he effectively “died” three times on a life-support machine after suffering a perforated bowel, septicaemia and a collapsed lung.
This time, North Manchester General Hospital in PPE waved gleefully to a camera, saying: “He’s getting ready to go now – he’s packed all his things up.
“He’s been here for 51 days and he’s going to the ward today. We’ve fixed him!”
And as a masked Steve gingerly gave a thumbs-up from his bed, a staff member turned to tell him: “You’ve done ever so well, haven’t you!”
This latest story of hope, survival and the human touch amid the Covid-19 pandemic continued as Steve was wheeled out to congratulations and celebratory whoops, on his way to another ward.
The short video closed with Steve nodding his head forward from his pillow in acknowledgement, with his arms together in a praying position, as he said: “Thank you so much.”
Former Leeds and Huddersfield player Adam posted the clip with the words: “After 51 days in Intensive Care , majority of that in an induced coma and on a ventilator ….
“My dad has finally beaten COVID19 and is officially out of ICU. Thanks so much to the doctors and nurses of @NorthMcrGH_NHS, without you wonderful people we wouldn’t be celebrating today.”
And in a follow-up tweet he added: “@piersmorgan must be worth a shout out on @GMB for my old man ? how he’s still here is incredible.”
TV pundit Chris Kamara was one of the first of many to send congratulatory messages.
The ex-Brentford player and one-time Stoke boss tweeted: “Great news Adam.”
Football was the last thing on the mind of Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton as dad Steve battled to overcome coronavirusCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
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For Adam and his family, the experience must have brought back harrowing memories from 1996.
He told the Sun exclusively four years ago how his dad had defied a life-threatening situation, when he spent three weeks in a coma.
Adam said: “I only went to see him when he was out of the coma — and he was in and out of hospital for two years.
“He first went in because of his bowel, then he got septicaemia in there and then his lung collapsed. His heart stopped three times, for five or six minutes.
“They asked my mum ‘do you want to turn him off?’. But she was like ‘no, keep him suffering!’ and he managed to come round and fully recover.
I had my trials at (Man) City while he was in hospital. And from hospital he arranged for Jon Macken to take me to my trial. I remember him say that thinking about his three boys and what they could be like when they are older was what got him through.”
Adam Clayton, 2016
“I remember him say that thinking about his three boys and what they could be like when they are older was what got him through what he was going through.”
Ironically Adam went onto launch his career with Manchester CITY in 2008 – but even that was thanks to his dad’s efforts whilst he was badly ill.
He explained: “I had my trials at City while he was in hospital.
“And from hospital he arranged for Jon Macken, who married into my family and was playing for City at the time, to take me to my trial.
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“The first match I ever went to was with my dad at Old Trafford against Aston Villa, aged about six.
“I would have been a big United fan, but I signed for City and then me and my dad went to all the City games because I got two free tickets.”
“Dad would take me to all my matches and training sessions and we still speak before and after every game.”
Days after that interview – on New Years Eve 2016 – Steve finally got to go to Old Trafford to watch his son.
But it was mixed emotions for the Claytons.
Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba struck in the final five minutes to give United a 2-1 comeback win… and Clayton Junior was an unused sub.
But as today’s news showed, football, results and 90 minutes are nothing as compared to bigger struggles and joys in life.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
