A “miracle” wedding is due to take place in Fort William, after the groom was given only days to live nearly two years ago.
“Super fit” Davy Duncan, 60, a saturation diver, went to work in Mexico in February 2021 during the pandemic as an essential worker – but caught Covid only days after arriving in the country.
His illness was so severe, his partner was called across the Atlantic from Lochaber to his bedside to say her final goodbyes.
But Mr Duncan wasn’t going to be beaten by the virus.
In spite of all the odds being against him and being stuck in a foreign land with only one or two English speakers, he is alive and well.
And next April he plans to make his long-term partner, Helen Smith, his bride.
Mexican health staff invited to wedding
Ms Smith had to get special permission to go to Villahermosa during the pandemic to wait by Mr Duncan’s bedside.
She was helped and supported by loving staff in Mexico, who went above and beyond to save her partner’s life.
They even recruited special blood-type donors, and begged and borrowed the best equipment to keep Mr Duncan alive.
Now the couple want to bring the staff from Mexico to Fort William to have them take part in their wedding celebrations. An event that would not be happening if it had not been for their intervention.
Ms Smith said: “Davy was a saturation diver with Subsea 7 and went to Mexico to work. He provided a negative PCR to travel and another to board a ship, as well as strict fitness test, given the nature of the work.
“A week after joining the ship, a day after his 59th birthday, he tested positive for Covid.
“He was isolated on ship and days later – due to winds and helicopter not able to land- he was flown off to be treated.”
Health deteriorated rapidly
Mr Duncan’s health went downhill rapidly and he was put in an induced coma and moved from a small hospital in Playa de Carmen to a hospital in Villahermosa, where Ms Smith flew out to join him.
She said: “When he arrived at the hospital he was so poorly he was not expected to pull through. When he pulled through the first night, he was given five days. He had multiple organ failure and was in a bad way.”
He pulled through the five days and surprised them. As he started to improve and slowly came around from the coma, weeks later, he suffered numerous strokes.
Ms Smith added: “Things looked bleak again. I learned, through Google translate due to the language barrier, about the strokes as no one could translate to English.
“Again in Google translate, I was told how bleak it was.”
Mr Duncan was in urgent need of blood. In Mexico you have to buy it from a blood bank. As he was a rare blood group, Ms Smith was around the city looking for blood.
“Even the supermarket bosses were asked to ask their staff,” she said. “Due to Covid the blood banks had little stock as people were not donating.”
Ms Smith’s hotel manager put together a city-wide campaign for blood using contacts in city hotels, army and police. Three people turned up from army and police to donate at the final stage.
A member of staff at the hotel became a translator to help Ms Smith navigate the city and the health system.
Recovery continued in Scotland
Finally fit to travel two months later, the couple were flown by air ambulance to Inverness where Mr Duncan remained in intensive care for three months.
Ms Smith said: “He then went into the High Dependency Unit and then Ward 2A for rehab. I made a 140-mile round trip daily for six months to be with him and was his carer for most of this time in the hospital.
“He was then transferred to Fort William.”
Mr Duncan was finally discharged from hospital on March 21 this year, more than a year after his ordeal began.
Ms Smith said: “He is home with me and we are camping in our sitting room due to red tape and a lack of support to adapt the house. But we are here and couldn’t be happier.
“Davy is so determined and motivated, he is adamant he will dance at our wedding on April 15 next year.”
She continued: “Davy has helped many with their dreams in Lochaber mountains and many want to repay their thanks.
“It is hoped to set up a fundraiser to bring over our Mexican ‘family’ who saved Davy’s life and looked after me. People who put strangers first but could never afford the travel.
“Davy has never asked ‘Why me?’ He smiles and gets on with it.”
Who are the couple planning to bring over from Mexico?
Rafael: The doctor who looked after him from when he was taken off the ship.
Dr Louis, who saved Mr Duncan’s life in Villahermosa. He calls Davy his miracle as he was not expected to pull through. He only took a couple of days off in the two months, for his father-in-law’s funeral. He insisted his patients needed him. For which the couple are grateful.
Jose Carlos: The physio who worked on him daily to keep his muscles moving, playing Davy’s favourite rock music and putting a smile on his face.
Fernando: Hotel receptionist who gave up his time to translate daily, even on his days off. Also to travel around the city to translate at blood banks.
Chico: A taxi driver who went above and beyond to look after Ms Smith and get her to and from hospital, to blood banks and get essential shopping for Mr Duncan.
Francisco: The hotel manager who gave his staff time off to help. Telling the staff ‘anything that man needs, we will help’. He also organised a large campaign to get his blood, which proved successful.
Rafael: The breakfast waiter who tried hard to teach Ms Smith Spanish each day after catching up on Mr Duncan’s condition. Ms Smith describes him as “like a dad each day, looking out for me and nagging me to eat more”.
Irma: The nurse who was so full of energy and always fussed over Mr Duncan.
The couple are currently putting together a book about their adventures in Mexico and beyond. Covid, crocodiles, care and compassion all feature in the chapters.
They have launched a fundraising campaign for £20,000.
Conversation