Death with Covid: Anglesey rugby player, 34, 'not coming home'

Huw with his wife Teleri and their two sons

A grieving GP has said her husband's death is proof that young, fit and healthy people can die from complications arising from coronavirus.

Huw Gethin Jones, 34, from Anglesey, died on 19 February last year. He had no underlying health conditions.

Dr Teleri Mair Jones said: "We all know at some point we're going to have to say goodbye to a spouse, but you never expect to have to do it so suddenly."

Her husband caught the virus which led to a fatal clot on his brain.

'Very honest'

"We did follow the rules and it still happened to us so it's difficult seeing people blatantly disregarding the rules, hearing conspiracy theories and all of that," added Dr Jones.

"We are proof that it did affect young people, it did affect fit and healthy people.

"I am 100% sure that Huw would still be here if it wasn't for this virus."

Huw - wearing the blue skull cap - was a keen rugby player

He had come home from another day's editing for production company Rondo Media one night at the end of January.

After a positive PCR result, he was poorly at home for 10 days before having to go into hospital in Bangor.

There were signs he was improving and he was due to go home at the weekend. But his wife had a phone call late one night to say that he had had a fit.

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He was transferred to Walton Hospital in Liverpool where a scan showed the clot on the brain.

It became apparent over the next few days that he would not survive so Teleri decided to be open with her two sons about what was happening to their dad.

Some £36,500 was raised online for Huw's family after he died

"They were three-and-a-half and one-and-a-half at the time and they've been amazing," she said.

"I've been very honest with them and used the words 'death' and 'dying'.

"They know that their dad isn't coming back but we talk about him every day, we look at pictures every day.

"They smile about him, laugh about him."

Huw was 34 when he died last February

Having fallen ill before vaccines were more widely available, Huw had not been vaccinated.

Huw had many interests and was very popular and well known in the community.

When he died, friends set up an online fundraiser which raised £36,500 to help his family.

"He was a rugby player, he was really fit. He loved his rugby. His heart was with Llangefni Rugby Club, he was there every Saturday," said Teleri.

"He was a singer and a musician, he played guitar in a band. Then more recently he had managed to fulfil a dream and open his own brewery.

"I was just really proud of him and proud to be his wife."

Dr Jones said she has been open from the start about the issue of death and dying to her two young boys

As Covid restrictions in Wales were in place at the beginning of last year, the family could not share their loss by seeing friends and family.

"We were still in lockdown, the numbers were at their highest, at their peak on Anglesey at that time.

"I wasn't allowed anyone in the house, apart from our bubble, which was my extended family.

"We were only allowed 30 at the funeral. Huw's got a huge family so that was really difficult."

They now hope to mark the first anniversary of his death over the coming weeks.

Huw was a well known and popular figure in the local community

Teleri is now back working as a part-time GP on Anglesey and deals with Covid every day.

"I now know what it's like to lose a partner, at a young age as well, so I can truly now try and begin to understand what losing somebody so close is like."

Teleri says she and her sons often talk about Huw and share anecdotes about him

But she is determined to make sure the boys have the life their father would have wished for them.

"The shock has subsided and there's the acceptance that no, he's not coming home.

"But there are still days when I wake up and I expect him to be there, and that can be hard.

"We'll never move on but we'll try and move forward and we'll carry Huw with us for the rest of our lives."

Dr Jones described her husband as a fit, healthy rugby player