Father of ‘miracle quadruplets’ battles for survival from coronavirus

The father of miracle quads was left fighting for his life in hospital after being struck down with coronavirus.

Giovanni Sapia, 53, was struck down with the bug earlier this month and has been critically ill in hospital for two weeks.

His wife Anna Savchenko revealed how he spent several days on a ventilator after struggling to breathe, with only 25% of his heart fully functioning.

After a brutal battle with the virus, he is now beginning to stabilise and can sit up in his bed, though he remains weak and needs lots of rest.

However, Mrs Savchenko, 35, was left fearing the worst for the best part of a fortnight.

She told The Sun: ‘I just thought ‘oh my God, is he ever going to wake up?’

‘It is worrying for the kids to think they may not have a father, let alone me not having a husband.’

The couple, from Harlow, Essex, gave birth to four children – twin boys Gionni and Peppe and twin girls Melina and Mia – three months early, and weighing less than a bag of sugar, in December 2016.

They had tried two rounds of IVF with no luck before trying and third and final desperate attempt on the NHS, when they finally got their wish.

But her pregnancy didn’t go smoothly and doctors were forced to use a laser to sever the blood vessels of one of the tiny babies in order to save the other three while they were still in the womb.

A crowdfunding page has since been set up by friends of the family to help them through the ordeal, with more than £5,000 already pledged.

Demine Warner wrote: ‘I’ve decided to set up this JustGiving page to help my lovely friend, Anna and her quadruplets at this hard time.

‘As a family they are going through a difficult time as Giovanni, Anna’s husband and the children’s father has been in hospital over two weeks fighting Covid-19.

‘Giovanni’s stay in hospital has been very tough on Anna and the quads without Giovanni being there.

She has been left to look after their four children alone while he is fighting this awful virus in hospital.

‘Recently Giovanni has ended up being ventilated and put to sleep as he was struggling with his breathing.

‘Anna is left without contact to Giovanni and is just getting updates from the staff at the hospital.

‘She is very stressed with the whole situation as Giovanni continues to be really poorly.

‘Giovanni was the main provider in their family while Anna stays home and takes care of their children.

‘Without him being able to work this is adding additional stress to Anna as Giovanni was self-employed.

‘This is stress that Anna can do without with bills to pay and four young children to provide for.

‘Therefore I am trying my hardest to take some of that away from her by asking for help from the community.

‘We understand so many people are in difficult circumstances at the moment so if you cannot help, we understand.’ (Agency report)