Munster captain speaks of son’s mystery illness

MUNSTER rugby captain, Anthony Foley yesterday spoke of the nightmare week he and his wife Olive have spent at the bedside of their critically ill baby son.

Little Tony, aged seven months, was rushed by ambulance to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital last Thursday with a mystery illness. Anthony rushed from a training session to the hospital on being told Tony was seriously ill.

For the following six nights and five days, the couple maintained a 24-hour vigil at Tony’s bedside.

Paediatrician, Dr Tom Stack and his team in the Children’s Ark ward oversaw Tony’s treatment and yesterday he was allowed home.

Anthony said: “It was a very difficult time and something one goes through. They think it may have been some kind of virus.”

He praised Dr Stack and the hospital staff.

“They were excellent. We spent the whole time there while he was sick.”

Baby Tony, the couple’s only child, became ill at the family home in Killaloe.

“Olive brought him to our GP who got an ambulance to have him taken to the hospital. Olive went with him in the ambulance. I got word after training and rushed straight to the hospital. It was a very worrying time and it is tough on any parent who have to go through anything like this. We met other families in the hospital with very sick children who are still there. It can be good news or bad news. I wouldn’t like to go through anything like that again.”

Foley took part in the Munster training session at Thomond Park yesterday before the squad flies out to France for the big Heineken European Cup clash with Castres Olympique at Stade Pierre Antoine on Friday night.