Heart-felt gratitude from Frome coma patient’s wife

A WOMAN from Frome has expressed her gratitude to the community for their support whilst her husband has been in a coma for over a month.

Anton Paulsson, aged 24, was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital, Bristol,  on 11th June with a high fever, weakness and loss of vision. He slipped into a coma upon arrival at the hospital.

Anton is very popular in the community and works for Homebase who have arranged a charity football match between Homebase and Asda to raise money for his wife and 11-month-old daughter, Evie. The match will take place at Frome Town Football Club who have supplied their facilities for free on Sunday 28th July with a 5.30pm kick-off. Entry is £3 or £5 with a raffle ticket.

Anton’s wife, Charlotte said, “I’d like to say most of all a massive thanks to everyone who has been part of this, especially the Homebase and Asda staff and of course the doctors and nurses at Frenchay who have been so thoughtful and supportive and just to ask everyone to keep sending positive thoughts Anton’s way! I know he would be overwhelmed by all the love out there for him.

“Doctors believe he has a very rare and severe presentation of either acute disseminated  encephalomyelitis (ADEM) – an immune mediated disease of the brain or multiple sclerosis (MS) – a disease affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.  He has some very extensive damage to his brain and spine and if he wakes up, he will almost definitely be blind and/or disabled.

“I think the football match is a wonderful idea and the way everyone has helped and supported us throughout this whole ordeal has been simply astounding. Anton is such a lovely guy and I think everyone just wants to do anything they can to help him out.

“It is cruel how someone so young and with so much to live for can be taken so ill so suddenly, and I think it has hit a lot of people very hard.”