Gareth Thomas takes issue with trolls after losing family member to Covid-19
Rugby NewsTuesday, 07 April 2020 at 19:04
Former Wales captain Gareth Thomas has revealed in an interview that a family member has died of coronavirus.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, the former Wales captain said he wanted to be real and honest so people could see the reality of the virus.
The 45-year-old also said he is "petrified" for his daughter, who works for the National Health Service.
"This virus has affected me, I have had family members die, I have friends and family in hospital," Thomas said.
"I have someone who has a funeral tomorrow and none of us can go, and my daughter works for the NHS and I am petrified for her.
"I have all this fear so I don't just want to share happiness, I want people to see the reality of what is going on in the world right now."
He also addressed trolls on Twitter, who are wishing Boris Johnson the worst after he was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital in London on Sunday night - 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus - due to "persistent" symptoms of COVID-19.
"This morning I was looking to see how Boris Johnson was an I cannot believe the hatred," said Thomas.
He went onto make an incredible statement. Watch the full video below...
LIST | Jamie Roberts and four other rugby stars working in hospitals during crisis
Here are five rugby players who are doing their bit on the frontline of the fight against the Coronavirus.
1. Jamie Roberts (Doctor)
The Wales international, who is a qualified Doctor, has volunteered his services and is now working for the Cardiff and Vale Health board after flying home from South Africa. He will operate as a clinical innovation fellow – a role which will see him working in Cardiff in a motivational and communications capacity.
2. Maxime Mbanda (Ambulance driver)
The Italy back-rower has become an emergency ambulance driver as the coronavirus outbreak continues to heavily hit the country. In an AFP interview published on rugbyrama.fr, the 20-cap international explained why he went out on the front line to help with his country in lockdown.
“When everything was cancelled with rugby, I wondered how I could help even without medical skills,” he said.
“I found the Yellow Cross, which had a transport service for medicines and food for the elderly.”
3. Elisha Whelan (Doctor)
The 24-year-old Worcester Warriors star is in her final year of a Medicine and Surgery MBChB at the University of Birmingham and will be one of more than 5,000 medical students dispatched to hospitals and surgeries across the country.
4. Lydia Thompson (Occupational therapists)
Both Thompson and her husband Tom are qualified occupational therapists and have contacted the NHS about heading to the frontline of the outbreak.
"I have been supported by the RFU [Rugby Football Union] to go back, so I have also applied," said Thompson.
"Me and my husband have only had great experiences of working in the NHS. We've kept in touch with our former colleagues and we're just so impressed and inspired by how hard they're working, how they're adapting and how people are changing to adapt to their new job roles. It's really important and we want to support them."
5. Claire McLaughlin (Doctor)
Ireland women's rugby international Claire McLaughlin is among the hospital doctors battling against the coronavirus outbreak.
"It is worrying in that we don’t know how bad it’s going to get or when it’s going to get to that point," said the 16-times capped rugby international, who is a junior doctor at the Ulster Hospital's A&E Department.
"But we’re all in this together. Doctors, nurses and all the other health care professionals."ShareShare this post on
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