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Man who choked on Greggs will have life support withdrawn today
A man choked on a Greggs chicken bake in Teesside Park (Picture: Google Street View). A family has paid tribute to a man who choked on a Greggs pasty over the weekend.
Leslie Humes family have made the heartbreaking decision to withdraw life support after he was starved of oxygen and left with brain damage.
He choked on a chicken bake on Saturday afternoon in Teesside Park but struggled to swallow ever since he had a stroke several years ago.
Emergency crews took him to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where his condition was described as being critical. The 66-year-old had previously suffered a stroke when he was in his 50s and used a wheelchair as a result.
He stopped breathing for around 30 minutes and has been in a coma since Saturday. His niece, Clare Marx, said: Unfortunately he did struggle at times with swallowing and usually a coughing fit sorts him out but this time it didnt.
Although the response from the emergency services was amazing it wasnt enough to save him and he was left brain damaged.
His mind was the only part of him unaffected by the stroke and now that is damaged, the family have decided to take him off life support and to allow him to die peacefully.
We did put forward his organs to donate but they werent acceptable and we have donated them to research instead. Today will be the date of his death..
Paying tribute to her uncle, she said he was a very independent and strong man with a big personality. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him and cared for him, she added.
Originally from Billingham, Mr Hume went to live in an extra care bungalow in Hardwick following the stroke. Clare asked for the public to refrain from posting rude and disrespectful comments on social media.