Koutsogiannis family share heartbreak after being denied last moments with dying dad

·

COVID-19 hospital visitation rules are being relaxed in New South Wales today but for the Koutsogiannis family, these changes have come too late.

Speaking to ABC News, Tina Koutsogiannis shared how she was denied an exemption to see her father conscious for the last time at Concord Hospital, after he was admitted due to complications from COVID-19.

84-year-old, Sozo Koutsogiannis, and his wife, Shirley, contracted COVID-19 after New Year’s Eve.

Sozo began suffering “a little bit of heavy breathing” and a “cough,” and was admitted to hospital on January 21. Tina said that days later, doctors at the hospital called to tell her Sozo had pneumonia and infections.

READ MORE: ‘I’ve read it for 56 years’: Greek migrants share what The Greek Herald means to them.

Sozos was an avid reader of The Greek Herald. Photo by Kaily Koutsogiannis.

She “begged” hospital staff to let her see him multiple times, but was refused. The family was only allowed video calls.

On February 3, Tina was told her dad would need to be ventilated. An exemption to see him conscious one last time was again denied, but they did speak via video call.

“And then his last words to us were, he looked at us, his words were, ‘I love you too much’,” she told the national broadcaster.

After a last request to see him, Tina said she, her mother and sister were given an exemption to sit by his side for an hour as he lay unconscious the day before his death on February 5. 

These stories of heartbreak have forced the NSW Government to revise its hospital visitor guidelines today. These guidelines will now allow visits if it is “beneficial for the patient’s emotional or physical well-being.”

Source: ABC News.

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Kostas Sloukas praises Greek Australian fans as Panathinaikos arrive in Sydney

Panathinaikos BC touched down in Sydney this week for the second leg of the 7th Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament.

From family legacy to the Federal Court: A look into Justice Anastasis Liveris’ legal career

In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, the Greek Australian judge reflected on how he felt to achieve this major career milestone.

The Greek influence on Australian television

Among the many communities that helped shape TV culture were Greeks, whose presence both on and off screen left a lasting mark.

Critically endangered monk seal welcomes newborn on Karpathos island

The first Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) birth of 2025 has been confirmed on the island of Karpathos.

Campaigners celebrate as Milos luxury hotel project is halted

Environmental activists have welcomed the suspension of a controversial five-star hotel project on Milos’s world-famous “moon beach”.

You May Also Like

Olympiacos FC make history as they advance to Europa Conference League final

Olympiacos FC made history on Friday, advancing to the Europa Conference League final for the first time after defeating Aston Villa 2 - 0.

Greece, Cyprus, Jordan hold tri-lateral summit in Nicosia

The 4th Cyprus-Greece-Jordan Summit in Nicosia and the 2nd Cyprus-Greece Intergovernmental Summit showcased collaborations.

March 25 celebrated at Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum, upcoming visits highlighted

The Hellenic Museum of Melbourne buzzed with life on March 25th, capping off a weekend bursting with Greek Independence Day events.