Family of Pinoy nurse in UK watches him flatline in video call as he succumbs to COVID-19

"This is Kenneth. I'm in Saint George's ICU now. They will intubate me now."

These are Kenneth Lambatan's final words, before he was intubated in a hospital in United Kingdom, where he worked as a nurse.

And when he finally succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), his family watched helpless from a tiny screen, halfway around the world, as he flatlined.

A nurse based in the UK, Kenneth fought in the frontlines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

His mother had encouraged him to pursue nursing so he'll have opportunities to go abroad, and in 2017, their dreams came true. He and his batchmates found jobs in St. George's Hospital in London.

Among them was Via Salinasal, the only friend who was able to see him when he died. She was also the one to hear Kenneth's final words.

Via said that while they named each other as next-of-kin amid the pandemic, they never considered the possibility of any of them being a casualty.

"Hindi namin akalain na isa samin will fall victim," she said in an episode of GMA Public Affairs' "Frontliners."

Kenneth, who worked as a cardiac research nurse in the hospital, was deployed in the frontlines in the first week of April. Later, he started to have colds and a fever.

His brother Ezel recalled a conversation he heard between Kenneth and their mom.

"Ma, I have fever...Ma, inuubo ako. Please pray for me," Kenneth had said.

Little did they know that would be their last conversation.

When Kenneth's symptoms worsened, he was intubated in the hospital's ICU.

Late April, Via was told that, "Kenneth is dying. It would be in his best interest na we'll let him go."

And his family made the difficult decision of turning off his life support. Through a video call, they watched Kenneth's final hour until he passed away.

Their final goodbyes were caught on video, and the mother could be heard weeping and saying her final thanks .

"You are such a blessing to me and to our family, 'Nak," she said as she wept. "Thank you for everything 'Nak, thank you."

When he finally flatlined and the video call ended, Ezel said the whole family just cried.

Via, in full personal protective equipment (PPE) was allowed to enter Kenneth's room for a final goodbye.

"Nung hawak ko 'yung kamay niya, iniisip ko lang 'yung pamilya niya, 'yung mga kaibigan niya. I'm sure they're all wishing na nandun sila, na they were all able to say goodbye. Pero ako 'yung nandun. Parang naisip ko lang na, Ken, kahit sa huli, nandito lang ako," she said, turning emotional.

Kenneth passed away on April 27.

For those who want to help Kenneth's family, you can go to this GoFundMe page: https://bit.ly/35G8l3n.

—JCB, GMA News