Britain's longest-suffering Covid patient is back at home after 222 days in hospital.
The family of Ali Sakallioglu begged doctors not to switch off his life support during that time as he fought the deadly disease despite his kids being told to say their last goodbyes three times..
They urged doctors to turn the 57-year-old on his stomach in a last-ditch attempt to save his life, reports the Mirror.
Grandfather Ali, who finally came out of hospital last month, said: “I was given zero chance of survival, so it feels like a miracle to be able to celebrate Christmas.
"On three different occasions they phoned my daughter and told her to get everyone down because I wasn’t going to make it.
“I can’t wait for Christmas – I have to be careful as I want to be here next Christmas.”
His children – Ali, 38, Seniz, 36, Ayse, 34, Jay, 32, and Yasemin, 31 – were made to say goodbye in full PPE.
But Jay said: “Hope was all we had and we knew he wasn’t giving up. It’s incredible to have him here for Christmas. It’s the best present we could have asked for.”
Ali plans to tuck in to turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Day, alongside Jay, who lives with him in Catford, South London, and Ali’s girlfriend Sheena O’Shay, 52.
He’s also desperate to get the vaccine so he can return to work as a cabbie without fear of being struck down a second time. He said: “I’d encourage everyone to get it.”
