Health

'Not ready to go': tributes paid to UK's first named victims of coronavirus


Of the more than 2,600 people to have contracted coronavirus in the UK by Wednesday, 104 have died. That figure has more than doubled since Sunday. Most have not been named, and the majority are older people who had underlying health conditions – though in some cases family members and medical professionals have been keen to emphasise that they were expected to live with their conditions for many years.

The youngest person confirmed dead so far was 45-year-old Craig Ruston. Another unnamed victim was 93. Ninety nine of the deaths have been in England, two in Wales, and three in Scotland, with none in Northern Ireland.

Of the deaths so far, details have emerged in at least five cases:

Craig Ruston, 45

Craig Ruston



Craig Ruston. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Rushton, a rugby fan and father of two from Kettering, Northamptonshire, had been a footwear designer, including at Dr Martens, before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He had been writing about his struggle with the condition before he tested positive with Covid-19. But his posts became less frequent as he began losing strength in his upper body. In one of his last he wrote about a dream he had of standing beside his wife and daughters at his own funeral. He wrote: “I don’t fear death, but I can tear myself to pieces if I dwell too long on what happens when I’m gone.” His family said he was “not ready to go”. He died on 16 March.

Leonard Gibson, 78

Leonard Gibson.

Leonard Gibson. Photograph: Sheffield teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust/PA

Described by his family as a “typical jolly Irishman”, Gibson died on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. He was born in County Tyrone and had 12 siblings. After moving to South Yorkshire at the age of 26, he worked at the coking plant at Orgreave. In retirement he enjoyed gardening but problems with his lungs forced him to move into a sheltered housing flat in Oughtibridge, near Sheffield. He died in Sheffield Northern general hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19. His daughters, Lisa, an NHS worker, and Michelle, a teaching assistant, were not allowed to visit him in hospital. Lisa said: “It is sad that we weren’t able to be with Daddy, but the nurses were there for us.”

Nick Matthews, 59

Mary & Nick Matthews Coronavirus death.



Mary & Nick Matthews Coronavirus death. Photograph: Facebook/ Mary Matthews

Described as a “true legend” of the Avon and Somerset police, Matthews retired as a police officer in 2010 after a heart attack. Nick and his wife, Mary, from Nailsea in Somerset, had a week’s holiday on the Canary island of Fuerteventura, at the end of February. Matthews, who was disabled and had underlying health conditions, was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary after complaining of breathing difficulties on 12 March. He died on 14 March after testing positive for Covid-19.

Darrell Blakeley, 88

Darrell Blakeley



Darrell Blakeley Photograph: Universal News And Sport (Scotland)/UNPIXS (Europe)

Blakeley was a churchgoer from Middleton, in Rochdale and sang in the choir. He had a “beautiful voice”, according to a spokeswoman for the town’s St Michael’s church. He was also regarded as a “gracious gentleman”, she said. He had underlying health conditions and fell ill after coming into contact with someone who had travelled to Italy. Blakeley was admitted to North Manchester general hospital on 3 March suffering from sepsis. He tested positive for Covid-19 on 10 March and died three days later.

Kimberley Finlayson, 53

Kimberley Finlayson.



Kimberley Finlayson. Photograph: Dentistry.co.uk

Finalyson was the first British victim of coronavirus to be named after she died on holiday on the island of Bali in Indonesia on 11 March. She was the founder of a dental communication business based in Shenley, Hertfordshire, one of the counties worst hit at the start of the outbreak in the UK. She had four children. Her colleagues paid tribute to her “passion, creativity and determination”. Finlayson suffered from lung disease and diabetes before she was diagnosed with Covid-19.



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