Best Fights for His Life As Family Gather Round

By WILLIAM LYONS

GEORGE Best’s family were gathered round his bedside last night as the football legend fought for his life.

Best, 59, was visited by his son, sisters and brothers as he struggled to survive on a life-support machine. He was placed on the ventilator in the early hours of yesterday morning after he developed a serious lung infection at the Cromwell Hospital, west London.

Last night the hospital’s spokesman, Jeffrey Brandon, said Best remained in a serious but stable condition in intensive care.

“He’s stable but remains critical. He is still on the life- support machine. They have been able to withdraw one of the medicines he was on but he still remains critical,” said the spokesman.

Yesterday afternoon Dr Akeel Alisa, assistant to Professor Roger Williams, who has been treating Best, said they were doing everything they could to help the former footballer.

Alisa said: “We are following all medical avenues to try to keep him stable. He is ventilated, so he is not conscious.”

The doctor added: “Today has been a relatively good day, however. He is stable. He is receiving cards and flowers from a lot of people who care about him.”

Best’s son Calum arrived at the hospital early yesterday afternoon to visit his father. Phil Hughes, Best’s agent, said his two sisters, Barbara and Carol, were also at his bedside, as were his two brother-in-laws, Norman and Alan, and his brother Ian.

The ex-Manchester United star was admitted to the hospital on October 1 suffering from flu-like infections. His health deteriorated rapidly at the beginning of this month when he developed a kidney infection.

But his condition was thought to be improving until yesterday when Professor Williams announced he had suffered a “big setback” and had developed a severe lung infection.

This new illness has caused problems “with kidneys and everything else again”, according to Prof Williams, and Best has been placed on dialysis.

Press reports yesterday suggested that Best’s weight had dropped to just six stone and he is believed to be on a drip.

Calum left the hospital at around 6.10pm and, as he left, he said: “I want to say that my dad is very ill at the moment but he is stable. I would like to thank all the well-wishers. It really means a lot to me and the family.

“He is stable, so hopefully he is going to get better.”

A relaxed-looking Calum was driven from the hospital in a Peugeot. Around 20 minutes earlier, Best’s elderly father Dickie also left the hospital and was driven away.

After seeing their father off, Best’s sisters returned to the hospital without comment.

As he left the hospital, Dr Alisa said Best was still severely ill and remained critical. He said there would be no further information from the hospital last night.

Best’s brother Ian returned to the hospital and joined his sisters at the footballer’s bedside.

On Friday, former Scotland international striker Denis Law wept after visiting his old team-mate. He left in tears, telling waiting reporters: “He is a fighter but you just feel it is not good. He was more or less unconscious.”

That same day, his ex-wife Alex Best said she was “devastated” by the legend’s latest setback.

Speaking from the doorstep of her detached country home in Reigate, Surrey, the 33-year-old said: “This is absolutely devastating news that he has taken a turn for the worse. I’m hoping and praying he gets better. My thoughts are with him.”

Best, whose mother died of alcoholism, has battled with drink for more than 30 years.