The Black Ferns women's sevens side has struck gold in Paris, and an autopsy is underway on the remains of who police believe is Yanfei Bao. Video / NZ Herald / Getty
Wellington nurse Maria Packe-Leonard has died after catching influenza type A, though little more is known about why the virus turned deadly
Her husband, John Leonard, remains in an induced coma in the ICU as his body fights pneumonia and a blood infection caused by the illness
A funeral for Packe-Leonard is on hold while family wait to see if her husband will pull through
John Leonard is in an induced coma in Wellington Hospital’s ICU battling pneumonia and a blood infection, but brother-in-law Darrell Packe said there was a glimmer of hope as Leonard slowly became more stable.
“The doctors have gone from talking in hours to talking in days, which is a good thing,” he told the Herald.
Leonard’s wife, 53-year-old Maria Packe-Leonard, died on July 21, 10 days after developing influenza type A symptoms.
The otherwise fit and healthy nurse had gone to the hospital ED the day before her death and was checked over and discharged. The next day she was “a little bit better” in the morning, but went quickly downhill and succumbed to her illness.
Packe said there was a preliminary report into her death but it said “bugger all” and did not shed any light on why the virus had hit her so hard.
Shortly after Packe-Leonard’s death, her husband started deteriorating as well, Packe said.
“We took him to the GP on Thursday... he left the GP with medication then on Friday his health had declined considerably so his youngest son phoned me and said we’ve got to get him to the hospital or a doctor or something. We got people to come and get him from the house and drive him down there quickly.”
Leonard’s condition has been touch and go since then.
“I guess with all these things when someone’s on life support... it’s all in balance, you know? Things change in hours, not days, so a state of flux, really.”
Packe said the health staff used the term “unstably stable” previously, but things were becoming slightly more settled now.
“His vitals are remaining in an acceptable range for longer periods of time. We are dealing with little bumps at the moment, little downs, not big downs.”
Packe has been calling the ICU with the phone on speaker so the couple’s two sons, aged 14 and 15, can ask questions about their father’s condition.
In a photo posted on Givealittle is Maria Packe-Leonard, 55, who died after a battle with flu. She is pictured with her two sons, who are now aged 14 and 15, and husband John.
“I think with Maria passing, while he’s alive, there’s hope.”
The family have put Packe-Leonard’s funeral on hold while they watch Leonard’s recovery.
“What we’re hoping for is that he pulls through, gets well again, strong enough to attend a funeral with his boys.”
Packe said the family was doing “pretty well, considering”.
“We’re just having to deal with some hard stuff. Like everyone would be, we’re going through highs and lows.”
The boys have been doing “very well” and Packe said the family were making sure to talk to them openly and encourage them to do what feels right, whether that meant going to school or staying at home in bed.
“If they want to cry, that’s fine, if they want to laugh, that’s fine.
“It’s been quite a journey with the boys. They are very special kids.”
John Leonard is in the ICU at Wellington Regional Hospital. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Packe wanted people to know the boys had been watching the Givealittle page and were reading every comment that came in.
“We’re watching that and it’s quite humbling. You see people put 100 bucks in and you see people put 5 bucks in. It all means the same to us.”
The boys “get a buzz out of how many people are supporting them”.
Packe also wanted to thank the community for the support they had received.
“It’s been fantastic how the community has been around all this, I just want to reiterate all that.”
Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley group director operations Jamie Duncan said Packe-Leonard would be “deeply missed” as a nurse for the Lower Hutt area.
“Maria was a popular and highly-valued member of our Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley whānau.”
Duncan said they were supporting those who worked with Packe-Leonard closely.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
