A dad-of-three who spent 33 days in a coma after contracting Covid-19 is now "trapped in his own body" in a nursing home as he can't walk or talk.

David Brown, 55, caught pneumonia, sepsis, kidney failure and had a bilateral stroke while unconscious in April last year.

His doting wife Claudia, 45, now fears he will never recover as he is still unable to walk or talk and needs three people to move him anywhere.

She recollected how she was prepared to say goodbye on two occasions to her husband, who she now deems the "sickest man in Britain after Covid", while he fought for his life.

Claudia said: “I am horrified by what has happened to Kate Garraway's husband but at least he can say goodnight to his children at night.

David is still unable to walk or talk (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

"David is stuck in a nursing home with elderly people.

"He is unable to walk or talk and has to be moved every few hours to prevent seizures.

"He is probably one of the sickest men in the country from coronavirus. It is so unjust and unfair.

"David is aware of everything going on, he cried when he saw our youngest Mia, 12.

"And he laughs at jokes yet it is a race against time."

Holding back the tears, Claudia recollected how it all started with the Covid infection, which "came in waves" for 10 days prior to him being taken to hospital.

"One day he was fine and the next horrendous.

Claudia Brown, 45, believes her husband is the 'sickest man in Britain after Covid' (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

"I think he dropped a stone whilst lying in bed with a sky-high temperature and loss of appetite.

"It was terrible to see but I never thought it would come to this."

David was immediately put into an induced coma.

Claudia received two phone calls stating he 'won't make it' due to pneumonia in both lungs and sepsis turning his limbs blue.

But David continued to fight for his life - despite the odds being against him.

He was discharged from East Surrey hospital in July and moved to Putney rehabilitation centre for three months.

He made very few improvements and was too sick to return home as he requires around-the-clock care.

David was moved to Glebe House nursing in Chaldon, Surrey, in October 2020.

It is feared David will never be able to recover (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

Claudia, who is a housewife, said: "He doesn't want to die.

"He is fighting so hard, he wants to be home with his family.

"Our eldest daughter Taylor, 21, is pregnant which makes it even more heartbreaking because he hoped to be a young granddad.

"We are all broken without him.

"I visit him every day to comb his hair, give him a wash and pamper."

David has dropped five stone in the past year as he has been severely unwell.

He has been assessed multiple times but deemed as ineligible for rehabilitation until recently.

David and Claudia Brown with their three children (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

He is set to move to Queen Elizabeth's Foundation (QEF) rehabilitation centre in Leatherhead, Surrey, on June 28.

She added: "David grew up in Purley, London, and he never changed his doctors which caused a problem with funding.

"Thankfully, Surrey Heartlands have covered the costs but it has been extremely stressful.

"We just want him closer to home but he is far too sick. He needs three people to get him in and out of bed.

"The staff at the nursing home have been incredible.

"The chances of him coming home are very slim.

"I've had to sell our family home for a smaller property as I wasn't able to keep on top of the bills alone."

Friends of the family have set up a fundraiser to help Claudia and her children Mia, Max, 19, and Taylor, 21.

They hope David's story will make other people take the pandemic seriously.

She said: "I hope people realise coronavirus is real.

"People are happy about lockdown restrictions have been lifted but it's all just getting worse by the day for us.

"Our daughter Taylor is pregnant and her dad isn't able to celebrate with her.

"He wanted to be a young granddad.

"All of this wouldn't have happened if he never got the virus so it hurts me when people say it's not real."

A spokesperson from NHS TRUST Surrey Heartlands said: " We are not able to comment on individual cases."