TV star Bob Mortimer revealed he no longer fears death after he was rushed to hospital to undergo a triple heart bypass surgery when his heart stopped beating
TV star Bob Mortimer was left close to death after his heart stopped beating for 32 minutes due to blocked arteries. But now, ten years on from his touch and go heart surgery, the comedian has revealed that he no longer fears death after experiencing a magical moment of seeing “the light.”
The 65 year old married father of two, underwent surgery after doctors discovered that 95 per cent of his arteries were blocked. And last year, he found himself in the midst of further health woes when he was left unable to walk unaided after being diagnosed with shingles.
His muscles had started to waste away during his six month battle with the virus and he was forced to use a wheelchair in order to transport himself around.
Speaking on Kathy Burke’s podcast Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake, he candidly confessed that he no longer fears death.
He said: “I don’t feel scared about death, I just feel so frustrated and sad to think I won’t see how stories end. My children’s story. My wife’s. The football. All the stories going on in the world that you’re going to miss the end of.”
Detailing his near death experience, he added: “I did see the light at the end of the tunnel. I experienced going towards the light and feeling happier than I have ever felt, ever. “
He went on to say: “It was quite extraordinary, and then I woke up a day later and I was OK. I thought, ‘This is great. I no longer fear death and everything’.”
In the hope of securing a relatively stress free future for his wife Lisa Matthews in case he were to pass away before her, Bob and Lisa tied the knot – half an hour before his heart surgery. The comedian arranged to wed Lisa the day of his surgery as he was told he was “incredibly ill.”
While at a press conference the following year, he explained: “I found out I needed heart surgery on the Thursday, so I made a will on the Friday. Found out I couldn’t get married to Lisa because you have to give 21 days notice.”
He added: “But my consultant said I was incredibly ill, so the registrar in London – I don’t live in London – gave me permission to get married on the Monday. I got married at half 9 on the Monday then went into hospital for the operation at 10.”
The intimate ceremony consisted of the pair and their two sons. After contracting shingles, Bob was told that he had lost 20 per cent of muscle function, which left him faering he will never be able to run again.
He explained: “It was the worst health year of my life to be honest and you know what, it was worse than my heart period.”
He added: “At the moment the consultant saying I’m heading for 80% muscle recovery in my leg and she said ‘you’ll just have to see what that means for you. The muscles I’ve lost, I’ve lost… But other ones can compensate for it, you know what I mean?”‘
He went on to say on the Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Finishing show: “I can make the other muscles stronger but I have a terrible feeling I’m never going to be able to run again and you know that I used to like to run Paul.”
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