A heartbroken NHS doctor whose dad died after contracting coronavirus has shared video of their final goodbye over FaceTime.
Alex Yuen, 71, was on a ventilator as he spoke to his son, Dr Sebastian Yuen, from his hospital bed just days after collapsing at home, where he told family: "I don’t want to die alone."
When the family last spoke to Mr Yuen, whose condition was deteriorating, they did not think it would be their final conversation with him and they had a "powerful" moment together, said Dr Yuen.
They all said that they loved each other and they shared a laugh before saying goodbye to their father for the last time.
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Dr Yuen told ITV News: “We knew he was deteriorating, so we arranged a call… There was a great conversation, a great connection and at one point, my brother makes an inappropriate joke and we all laughed.
“We all said we loved each other and we were deeply present in that moment, it was so powerful.
“All of this brings some form of closure and he wasn’t alone, he knew we were there... that video call, previously I would have thought you had to be in the same room, you have to be with someone for it to be real, but that was truly real and I just hope other people can experience that, that was a moment I’ll keep with me.”
Mr Yuen died at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, on March 30.
He ran a Chinese clinic for the last 20 years and was described by his son as "passionate" and "the life and soul of a party".
Mr Yuen had underlying health conditions, including emphysema and a history of heart problems, and was worried about being admitted to a hospital.
As he grew weaker, he wanted to remain at home because he feared dying alone in a hospital ward, said Dr Yuen.
Rhiannon Emary, a clinical nurse specialist who cared for Mr Yuen, said healthcare workers are doing everything they can to make patients' last moments as comfortable as possible.
Ms Emary asked Mr Yuen what she could do for him as the end neared.
He told her "I just want to feel love", a message that she gave to his family, she said.
With families unable to visit their loved ones in hospital, she said NHS staff are helping patients to speak to their loved ones as they would on a normal day.
Many families of coronavirus victims have told how they have had to say their final goodbye in a video chat or even by walkie-talkie.
Dr Yuen has called on hospitals to improve their WiFi and technology to help patients to communicate with their families.
More than 8,000 people in the UK have died after contracting coronavirus, according the latest statistics.
More than 65,000 people have tested positive, but the number of people infected with Covid-19 is believed to be much higher.
