A British Airways pilot who spent a record-breaking 243 days in the hospital with COVID-19 in Houston, Texas has died just a few short months after being allowed to return to his home in England.
The family of Nicholas Synnot, who only turned 60 in February, are said to be devastated by his death after the senior British Airways pilot had seemingly fought back from a serious illness caused by COVID-19.
Nicholas flew to Houston in March 2020 as part of his job with British Airways but became ill and was later diagnosed with COVID-19 while still in the United States. He was admitted to the hospital after his condition deteriorated and doctors wondered whether he would ever pull through.
Doctors treating Mr Synnot said he went into respiratory failure and had to be placed on a ventilator and then on a heart and lung machine. His wife was allowed to fly out to Houston where she spent every day at his bedside as he recovered.
Dr Biswajit Kar, a cardiologist who treated Mr Synnott explained how COVID-19 affected every organ of his body. At one point, My Synott was in a coma and doctors wondered whether he might ever come round.
“There was always a question, ‘Is he even in there?,” Dr Kar explained.
“But yet, because his health was so good as a pilot prior to the illness, he could sustain all this and survive something as serious as this.”
The cause of Mr Synnot’s death is not yet known but local media have speculated that it was due to complications caused by COVID-19.
“We are devastated by this incredibly sad news,” commented Captain Al Bridger, BA’s director of flight operations on Thursday. “Nick was a valued member of our pilot family and a friend to many at the airline. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time”.
He is survived by his wife Nicola, as well as two children. His son, George is understood to be training to follow him in his footsteps as a pilot.
My Synott had hoped to return to Houston to thank the medical team that treated him. He had also hoped to visit a zoo that he looked out on from his bed every day that he was in hospital.
