'I could not say goodbye to my dying husband': widow recalls Covid pandemic heartbreak ahead of 'People's Inquiry'

Anne Gallagher reflects on the devastating impact of COVID-19 visiting restrictions, which prevented her from saying goodbye to her husband before his death. 'I wish I was there.'

Ms Gallagher emphasized the emotional pain caused by the restrictions during her husband’s illness, stating, 'I go to his grave and I still cannot believe he is dead.' This underscores the lasting trauma experienced by families.

Recalling her husband's struggle with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, Gallagher shared, 'Brendan used to talk about the long goodbye with Alzheimer's disease. But I never got to say a last farewell.'

Highlighting the challenges faced during COVID-19, Gallagher described visits as 'torture.' She lamented, 'I could not hold his hand, and we had to be separated by glass.'

Read at Irish Independent