A UK woman shares her heartbreak after losing her husband Paul Dunn, who suffered a heart attack mid-flight after a holiday in Thailand. Gill Dunn struggled with bureaucratic delays and visa issues while trying to bring her husband’s remains back home.
69-year-old British woman Gill Dunn this week told the world about her pain after losing the love of her life of 42 years. In brief, Paul Dunn died after suffering a heart attack on a flight from Thailand. Previously, the couple enjoyed a two-week holiday in the kingdom. Indeed, Gill spoke glowingly of the country as an experience and its people. The couple had flown to Thailand on February 3rd last. However, what Ms Dunn was ill-prepared for was the bureaucracy and red tape that greeted her in India, particularly after her husband Paul passed away there on March 5th.
A broken-hearted widow this week told the painful story of her husband’s death following what she described as a ‘dream holiday’ to Thailand. Previously 66-year-old Paul Dunn retired this year. Before that, he worked in Britain’s NHS or National Health Service. After that, he was invited by old work colleagues to meet and speak with them in Bangkok.
Therefore, he and his 69-year-old wife Gill decided to make a holiday of it. The pair jetted off to Thailand on February 3rd last.
Dream holiday in Thailand turns into tragedy after sudden illness strikes 66 year old mid-flight going home
Gill notably is an advisor with the UK’s Citizens Advice service. The couple hailed from Leicester in the United Kingdom, significantly close to Leicester City FC owned by the wealthy Thai Srivaddhanaprabha family.
Indeed, Paul had previously worked as the director of the transplant laboratory services at Leicester Hospital. After that, he retired and this holiday was to celebrate that event and meet up with friends.
Certainly, Paul and Gill had a super holiday in Thailand. They explored the kingdom and this week Gill had nothing but praise for both the country and its people.
“We saw elephants, we visited the most amazing temples and had a ride in a rickshaw going around an old city,” she recalls. “We did a great variety of things, the people were lovely, they are really kind and gentle people.”
UK couple’s journey home from Thailand disrupted as husband suddenly suffers an acute medical shock
At the same time, the couple, like all people, looked forward to going home. On February 21st, their plane took off from Suvarnabhumi Airport on the long flight to Heathrow Airport. However, two hours into the flight, Paul fell suddenly ill. Indeed, he had a heart seizure.
However, he survived as there was a doctor and skilled nurse aboard the flight. At the same time, the Thai Airways Captain diverted the plane to Delhi. This is the capital city territory of India.
Paul was rushed to hospital and his situation appeared to stabilise. Meanwhile, Gill got her first taste of Indian bureaucracy. She required a visa to be with him. At length, she was granted what is called an Emergency Visa. Nonetheless, later she was told it was the wrong visa option.
In the meantime, her next problem became where to stay. Luckily, she was fortunate that a kind nurse at the hospital allowed her to stay in a room next to Paul. Afterwards, she summoned her son Matthew and his partner Amy to join her in India.
British widow struggles with bureaucratic red tape and visa issues while trying to care for her husband
Indeed, this was fortunate as her husband’s condition after a few days turned for the worse. In the meantime, her son found her a place to stay. Certainly, there followed the same pain that many families must endure as doctors confirmed the worst. Paul’s life force was failing.
He died on March 5th while being supported by his family far away from home.
Nevertheless, the ordeal for Gill was only beginning.
The love of her life, whom she had lived with since 1983 and been married to since 1994, was dead. Of course, it came as a shock but she simply wanted to bring his remains back home.
Gill this week told the Daily Mail newspaper that the British Embassy in New Delhi was of no assistance whatsoever. For example, after her husband had died, they sent her an email with funeral directors. At least, Gill decided to cremate Paul and bring his ashes home for burial.
Widow’s heartbreaking journey to repatriate her husband’s remains thwarted by bureaucratic regulations
Therefore, she requested this from hospital officials. In turn, she ended up being bundled into a hearse-type ambulance with the body of her loved one. After that, the vehicle arrived in an open public place for cremations. Her husband’s body was placed on logs and placed in an crude oven or furnace.
Afterwards, she was handed his cremated remains.
In the meantime, she had to obtain police permission to leave the country. Not only for herself but also for her husband’s remains. That is when she was informed that she should have applied for an Exit Visa.
At length by March 7th, the heartbroken woman, her son and his partner were ready. They flew home to the United Kingdom with Gill carrying Paul’s ashes in a knapsack.
Widow’s emotional return home with husband’s ashes after navigating red tape and lengthy delays in India
Certainly, Gill is still grieving for her husband. While speaking to reporters this week, she recalled him not as a powerful man but as a well-liked and compassionate one. She said he had a ‘twinkle in his eye’ as she recalled their last fateful trip together.
“I can’t tell you the relief it was to leave India. Every day there was this knife in the back of bureaucracy.”
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However, Gill’s memories of India are less than satisfactory.
“He had wonderful hospital care but the rest of it was not ideal. I had a lot of conflicting information, it was like being in a maze. I can’t tell you the relief it was to leave India. Every day there was this knife in the back of bureaucracy,” she recalled with shuddering relief. “By the time we had his remains and knew we could fly home it was a relief. Certainly, there was this relief of coming home. At the same time, knowing we could do things properly. In truth, I just wanted to be home to lay my husband to rest the way he deserved.”
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Further reading:
UK Tik Toker tells fans from her Bangkok prison hell hole her videos were all a pack of lies, a joke
Immigration boss warns that a new crackdown on foreigners flouting Thai laws has begun
