Former partner of Gerry Ryan, Melanie Verwoerd - who declined to take part in Sunday night's new documentary on the broadcaster's death - has said she and her family were hit with coronavirus.
Titled Gerry Ryan: A Legacy, the documentary - which airs tonight on RTE One at 9:30pm - marks the tenth anniversary of Ryan's tragic death whose body was found by Melanie on April 30 2010.
But despite being approached by RTE for the programme, Melanie was "not interested in commenting at this time" according to a spokesperson from the National Broadcaster.
And on the same day the documentary hits our screens, Melanie has admitted her and her children were forced into isolation after contracting COVID-19.
Her 29-year-old daughter Wilme became sick and shortly after, transferred the illness to Melanie and her 27-year-old son Wian.
Speaking to The Sunday World, she said: "In our case, my daughter was very ill.
"She had a very high fever for a long time and then a bad cough and tight chest.
"She got all the classic symptoms of COVID-19. We started with symptoms you are not hearing about.
"We all started with diarrhoea, and then our taste and smells disappeared.
She added: "My son and I, unlike my daughter, did not have a high fever. In fact, no fever at all. We just had a really bad sore throat and a bad head cold."
"We self-isolated the moment we got sick but we were worried about others we had been in contact with. People must not go into panic mode."
She continued: "We are still exhausted and every day has its ups and downs, it is getting a bit easier.
"There is definitely light at the end of this tunnel."
