A father-of-three with coronavirus has shared a heartbreaking message from his hospital bed in Northern Ireland, praising the NHS for its work and warning people: "Don't think this won't touch you".
Mark McClurg, 40, the pastor at a church in Newtownards, has spent the last week fighting for his life in intensive care at Ulster Hospital, Belfast, after testing positive for Covid-19.
He posted a video on Twitter today urging people to stay at home, be kind and protect the NHS.
"This coronavirus is deadly and it's dangerous," he said. "Coronavirus wants to kill you. It wants to take all the life out of your lungs, so you can't even breathe.
"I am grateful I am alive today. I want to thank the ICU staff...night and day, 24/7, they have saved my life.
"All the doctors and nurses - I don't know what else to say, but I love you."
The patient went on to thank his loved ones.
He continued: "I am grateful that I have a loving and supportive wife. I have the best wife in the whole world. I love Claire.
"When I was at my lowest and I couldn't even talk, she was the only one who saved me and Claire, thank you so much for helping me get through that.
"I'm also a pastor...I don't go to your church, I belong to your church family. What I've loved over the last week - the church family has been praying for me.
"I've seen the messages, prayers of support all over our lovely country, all over Northern Ireland, all over the world. Thank you so much for praying."
He added: "Lastly, don't think this won't touch you - don't think for one moment that this is a wee cold and cough you will get.
"Please, look and me and listen, if you get coronavirus and you have to go into the ICU, that means you are going to struggle to breathe - you could go on a ventilator.
Read More
"So please, please listen to all the advice from the Government, keep your social distancing...Northern Ireland, we will get through this.
"But we have to at this moment protect the NHS. We must protect the heart and soul of Northern Ireland at this moment - our NHS staff, they need us. I've seen their faces, I've spoken to them. Some of them have come to terms that they are going to get coronavirus. Let that sink in. Do your part. Stay at home.
"Just because we are social distancing doesn't mean we can't pick up the phone and phone our loved ones and phone our friends and phone neighbours.
"But be wise, be kind, love and protect the NHS. Love you all. Thank you so much."
