By Romy Stephens
A 95-year-old man who beat Covid-19 says he won’t take the simple things in life for granted anymore.
In July, Vic Cornell tested positive for coronavirus. But wind the clock forward to today and the retired tennis coach from the eastern suburbs has made a miraculous recovery.
He is now spending his days at Healesville Hospital, after also suffering a broken hip during his recovery from the virus.
“I’ve recovered from the virus but it’s left its mark,” Vic said.
“It made me very sick and ill…the virus has left me, but being 95 it’s taken a lot out of me.
“I have my days, some days I’m good and some days I’m not so good.”
Vic told the Star Mail that his experience with Covid-19 had taught him an important life lesson.
“Life teaches us, and it’s taught me the things that you take for casualness, like just getting up in the morning and feeling good, getting your breakfast in your own home, we take it for granted at times, I won’t anymore.”
It’s not clear how Vic contracted Covid-19. He suspected it may have occurred when he attended hospital for an infection on his nose that he received when he was cutting wood and a chip flicked up and hit him.
When he became unwell, Vic got in touch with his family. They called an ambulance but Vic sent it away, believing he would get better with some sleep.
Three days later, Vic and his 88-year-old partner, Jean, were very unwell and taken to Maroondah Hospital where they both tested positive for Covid-19.
Vic’s son, Russell, said the worst of the virus hit a couple of weeks later.
“We as a family didn’t think he was going to get there because he sounded so fragile and weak,” Russell said.
“He was virtually at the point where he wasn’t going to get out of the hospital alive, and one night he called us to say goodbye.”
Russell said one evening he decided to call in and share Vic’s story with the ABC’s Drive program.
He said the support received from the community of Melbourne as a result helped Vic pull through.
“These people are lying in bed at this stage they can hardly walk, their system is so weak,” Russell said.
“But knowing someone’s there, Melbourne’s behind you, that was so uplifting for him.
“If it weren’t for this happening I’m not sure if he would have picked himself up because at that point of time his life was on the line. As soon as he knew there was someone on the other end and all of a sudden people were talking about him, it gave him something to live for.”
Vic said he wanted to thank all the people who had sent supportive letters to him.
“I can’t believe it. I’m a retired old tennis coach and I’m getting all this attention,” Vic said.
“I’ve had some wonderful letters…I’m touched, I’m really touched by it all.”
Vic is a father of 10, but one of his children has passed away. Before contracting Covid-19 he remained very active and only retired from tennis coaching about eight years ago.
He received two negative coronavirus tests three weeks ago and has since been transferred to Healesville Hospital where he is recovering alongside Jean, who has also since tested negative to Covid-19.
