Pope Francis doctor yesterday recounted the pontiff’s final moments in a pair of newspaper interviews, saying he had his eyes open and was breathing with oxygen.
The doctor said the pope was unresponsive after being stricken by illness early on Monday morning; he died without suffering at home.
Dr Sergio Alfieri coordinated Francis five-week hospital treatment for double pneumonia.
Alfieri continued to oversee the pope’s treatment after the pontiff returned to the Vatican on March 23 for two months of rest to allow a full recovery.
He was alerted at 5:30am on Monday by Francis’ health care assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti that the pope had been stricken and needed to be taken to the hospital.
The doctor told the Milan Daily Corriere della Sera that he arrived 20 minutes later.
“I went into his room, and he had his eyes open. I noted that he did not have respiratory issues, so I tried to call him but he did not respond,” Alfieri was quoted by Corriere as saying.
He added that his lungs were clear and he was receiving supplemental oxygen.
“He also did not respond to stimuli, even painful ones, in that moment I understood there was nothing more to do, he was in a coma.’’
Alfieri said it was too risky moving Francis back to the Gemelli hospital, where he was treated for a complex respiratory infection that nearly killed him twice.
Two hours after falling ill, the pope died, having suffered a stroke.
“He died without suffering, at home,″ Alfieri told the Rome daily La Repubblica.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin arrived and said the rosary over the body, accompanied by the papal household staff, Alfieri told Corriere.
“I gave him a caress, as a farewell,” the doctor said.
Vatican News has reported that the pope managed a gesture of farewell to Strappetti after falling ill.
Alfieri became the pope’s surgeon when he needed treatment for diverticulitis in 2021; Alfieri tried to get him on a diet after the surgery.
“We knew he would not return to his former condition and that the infection had left another scar on his lungs.
“He improved with physical therapy. I saw him on Saturday and I found him in good shape.
“I did not think it would be the last meeting,’’ Alfieri told la Repubblica.
Though Francis was ordered to rest and avoid crowds for two months to recover, Alfieri expressed understanding for the pope’s desire to return to work.
“Going back to work was part of his treatment and he never exposed himself to dangers,” he told Corriere.
Francis could not resist appearing in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, which culminated with a long drive through the Easter crowd of 50,000 on the pope mobile, with several stops to bless children.
The pope insisted on inviting health care workers from Gemelli hospital to the Vatican before Easter, even though the doctor suggested they wait until the end of the two-month convalescence in June.
“I have the clear sensation now that there were a series of things he felt he had to do before dying.
“We knew he wanted to return home to be pope until the last instant and he did not disappoint us,’’ Alfieri told Corriere. (AP/NAN)
