Coma dad who suffered organ failure on holiday smiles for first time since waking watching daughter sing

A dad has smiled for the first time in six weeks after awaking from a coma - and hearing his daughter sing a Little Mix song.

Matthew Parkes, 38, opened his eyes on Thursday for the first time after falling seriously ill while on holiday in Spain.

Dazed, confused and unable to speak because of tubes in his throat, a video of his four-year-old daughter Sophia singing Black Magic made him smile through his pain.


His wife Pamela, 39, from Bramhall, Manchester, was there for the incredible moment he opened his eyes for the first time so she could remind him of the support he has from his family.

She said: “It was amazing to see him awake, I was so happy.

“He can’t speak because of the tube in his throat and he tried to turn his head and started crying but then I showed him a video of Sophia singing in the car and he smiled. It was a great moment.”

Mum-of-three Pamela was at Matthew’s side to reassure him, explaining why he was in the hospital.

She added: “I told him how after we both got poorly in Spain he had pneumonia and nearly died but that he’s fine now.

“The nurses are being very compassionate. He had moments of panic, like when he couldn’t cough.

But it was lovely to see his blue eyes again, to see him smile, for him to know I was there, to kiss him.

“Just to spend six hours with him, to talk to him and have him respond with his eyes.”

Matthew was on holiday in Majorca with Pamela and Sophia when he developed a sore throat, reports Manchester Evening News .

His condition deteriorated rapidly and he suffered multi-organ failure and was placed in an induced coma.

Circulation problems have meant he will have to have both lower legs and his hand amputated.

At first, Matthew was trapped in a private Palma hospital because Wythenshawe’s ICU was full. But they found him a place this week.

But doctors at Wythenshawe are questioning an initial diagnosis of Castleman Disease - a rare lymph node condition - and are carrying out further tests.

For now, Matthew’s family just relieved to have him back and awake.

Pamela added: “We feel so very lucky, like we are on the other side of this.

“We want to thank everyone for their messages of support, it’s been amazing. WE are usually very private people but want to raise awareness of the problems patients have getting repatriated when they need urgent care like Matthew.”

She added: “Matthew is very sick still, he’s quite out of it and I’m not sure how much of what I’m saying he is retaining."