A 'strong, fit and healthy' postman's sent a text message to his partner saying “I love you, this is f***ing crazy” just 30 minutes before he died from suspected coronavirus.
Akie Fenty, 45, had been off work in Scotland for the last fortnight with breathing difficulties and a cough, which he first developed in December.
As it was not a new cough, and he had a steady temperature of 36.7C, no sore throat, or any other coronavirus symptoms, doctors had been treating him with antibiotics for a chest infection.
He was never tested for the virus, which has claimed the lives of at least 7,095 people in the UK so far.
But on Sunday evening - just two hours after he got home from hospital - his breathing deteriorated and he was rushed back to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where doctors are “100% sure” he had the virus.
His partner Lisa Masson, 46, and daughter Abby, 15, who are now in self-isolation, said goodbye to him from their home in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, not knowing it would be the last time they would see him alive.
Miss Masson said: “We said 'cheerio' not thinking anything to be fair.
"He went way in the ambulance and then he sent me a text message about 11.15pm saying “I love you, this is f * g crazy”.
"Then I got a call at 12 o’clock [midnight] saying he passed away at quarter to 12.
“When the doctor phoned I thought they were just phoning to give me an update. I didn't believe it.”
Devastated, she and Abby then travelled to Aberdeen at 1am to say their final goodbyes to Mr Fenty in a dedicated coronavirus ward.
They had to wear masks to protect them as they sat with him.
Miss Masson said: “My daughter couldn’t touch him, she just balled her eyes out, but I cuddled him and gave him a kiss and spoke to him.
“They didn’t test him but they said they are 100% sure that’s what he had, and I spoke to the registrar yesterday and on his death certificate it says ‘presumed Covid-19’.
“I still can’t believe how it could happen to someone like him - he was strong, fit and healthy.
“It’s left a huge hole in our lives.”
Data from the National Records of Scotland today said 354 deaths had been linked to the virus by April 5, a figure higher than previous estimates.
Miss Masson and Mr Fenty had planned to marry in August this year, to mark 20 years together in 2020.
They had also booked a “family-moon” to Florida with Abby in October.
Miss Masson is now calling on those still flouting the social distancing laws not to think they are invincible.
“I want people to understand how serious this is. It’s not just a cold or the flu - it’s taking people away from the ones they love. It’s savage.
“It was so quick. I don’t know how to live without him. I’m still hoping I’m dreaming and I’m going to wake up.”
Mr Fenty fell ill with flu-like symptoms in December, which left him with a cough that never went away.
Miss Masson said: “Akie being Akie just continued his work.
"But about two-and-a-half-weeks ago he felt like he couldn’t go to work. He was just knackered.
“The first week he was off he wasn’t too bad but the second week he deteriorated a bit.
"He was just lulling about and coughing. But he didn’t have a temperature.
"I took his temperature every day and it was 36.7 and he didn’t have a sore throat.”
After calling 111, Mr Fenty was seen by a doctor and was initially prescribed an inhaler for suspected asthma but when that failed to help he was given antibiotics for a suspected chest infection.
When the antibiotics had no effect, Mr Masson called 111 again and was asked to take him to hospital in Aberdeen.
She said: “I just had to drop him off and leave him.
"Then I got a phone call two hours later saying he was ready to come home. They had given him stronger antibiotics.
“But as soon as I picked him up his breathing was horrendous. He couldn't talk to me all the way home.
"Then when he got out the car he had to sit on the dyke and then he had to sit at the bottom of the stairs, he was so out of breath."
She then called an ambulance and he was rushed back to hospital where, just four hours later, he died.
Miss Masson said: “He was seemingly having a conversation with the consultant and all of a sudden his oxygen levels dropped. They tried to tube him but he had a cardiac arrest.
“I still can’t believe it.”
Miss Masson, a Home Care responder, heaped praise on all the health professionals who treated her husband and said even though Covid-19 was never initially mentioned, as he was having breathing difficulties all precautions were taken.
Paying tribute to Mr Fenty, who had been a postman for 19 years, she added: “Everyone thought so highly of him.
"He was sarcastic and funny and a friend to everyone. I’ve had so many messages. He was a huge Celtic fan and football fan in general.
“He was an amazing dad. He was absolutely devoted to our Abby and devoted to me. He was such a family man. We did everything together.”
Miss Masson and her daughter have not been tested for the virus but have been told to self isolate for 14 days following Mr Fenty’s death.
