2020: The Story Of Us has left viewers in tears after author Michael Rosen, who spent 47 days in intensive care with Covid, revealed his heartbreaking recovery, as well as the selfless work by those on the NHS frontline.
The ITV documentary, which aired yesterday, charts life in London and Lancashire hospitals in the first six months of the coronavirus pandemic.
In the programme, viewers saw Professor Hugh Montgomery, a consultant at University College Hospital in London, explain to the former children’s laureate, 74, how his wife’s visit to him in ICU appeared to be ‘part of the miracle of his recovery’.
Twitter users were left emotional following the touching scenes from Michael, who now suffers with a myriad of health problems, and Professor Montgomery, who lost his son Oscar, 17, in May, when he drowned snorkelling in Portland Bill, Dorset.
Scroll down for video
2020: The Story Of Us has left viewers in tears after author Michael Rosen (with his wife Emma at the Whittington Hospital), who spent 47 days in intensive care with Covid, revealed his heartbreaking recovery, as well as the selfless work by those on the NHS frontline
The ITV documentary, which aired yesterday, charts life in London and Lancashire hospitals in the first six months of the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured, Michael Rosen
Michael spent almost seven weeks in an induced coma on a ventilator after falling ill with the virus – but admitted he can hardly remember his time in ICU.
The award-winning poet and author said: ‘I remember somebody at some point showing me a form and saying, “Are you okay to go on a ventilator?” and telling me that if I went on a ventilator I’d have a 50-50 chance of survival.
‘And I said, “What if I don’t go on the ventilator?” and he said, “Zero.” So I said, “Okay then.” And then I don’t remember anything else.’
Professor Montgomery recalled he feared that a desperately sick Michael was slipping away, and had seen another of his patients responding to music sent by his family.
The doctor decided, since the author was no longer infectious, to invite his wife Emma to see Michael, and insisted the visit ‘was part of the miracle of his recovery’.
Reaction: Social media users were left sobbing over the emotional scenes in the programme
Meeting with Michael, Professor Montgomery said: ‘I don’t know if your wife actually knows that she was part of the miracle of your recovery. There was no doubt at all that there was something about you meeting her that suddenly flicked a switch.’
Recalling the moment she met her husband during his recovery, Emma said: ‘It wasn’t a shock to see him, it was just a big relief, finally to hold his hand.
‘It was Michael’s strong, warm grip. All his feeling was flowing through that grip. That was the moment for me that I felt that he was still there.’
When Michael later returned to the ward after recovering, he has no memory of the doctor- yet when they speak, they realise that they have an emotional experience in common which brings them together.
Michael lost Eddie – his second born son – aged 18, from meningitis in 1999, while Professor Montgomery reveals he lost his 17-year-old son Oscar in May, when he drowned snorkelling in Portland Bill, Dorset.
In the programme, viewers saw Professor Hugh Montgomery (pictured right), a consultant at University College Hospital in London, explain to the former children’s laureate (pictured left), 74, how his wife’s visit to him in ICU appeared to be ‘part of the miracle of his recovery’
In an emotional appearance on This Morning yesterday, Professor Montgomery, 58, teared up as he admitted he won’t be watching the documentary because his heartbreaking loss means it ‘strikes him even more’.
Viewers were left sobbing over the emotional scenes in the programme, with one writing: ‘Hugh and Michael were amazing on 2020: The Story Of Us. Such honesty.’
Another said: ‘I am speechless, humbled and can’t hold back the tears after watching @MichaelRosenYes and @hugh_montgomery in 2020: The Story Of Us.
‘What extraordinary human beings the both are and all of the NHS staff who give their all every day.’
A third viewer wrote on Twitter: ‘This programme is the most moving thing I’ve ever witnessed.’
Armed with just a diary kept by intensive care nurses, Michael (pictured) set out in the programme to find out what happened during his treatment
Armed with just a diary kept by intensive care nurses, Michael set out in the programme to find out what happened during his treatment.
He said: ‘I’ve tried to get clear what happened and the order of what happened, but there’s this whole period of life that’s a complete blur, and then when I left the hospital, they gave me this.
‘It’s like a diary, so the nurses who were looking after me, each day they would write an entry. Look, you can see it there. They would write an entry for the day.
‘So, you get something like, “Happy birthday. It’s been so lovely to help look after you today on your birthday. You’ve been treated to a rendition of Happy Birthday from about fifteen ICU staff and one of the other patients.
‘”I’ve been asking you to blink and squeeze my hand to communicate, and you’ve been diligently obliging.” Well, I’ve got no memory of that at all.’