Thanet author with new book due out in June blue-lighted to St Bart’s battling Bilateral Pneumonia and severe sepsis

gazpoorlymain — Gaz was blue-lighted to St Bart's Hospital last month

Manston author and dad-of-two Gary Wright should be out at events promoting his second published novel as it gets set to hit the shelves on June 5th.

Instead Gary – best known as Gaz- is in St Bart’s Hospital fighting Bilateral Pneumonia and severe sepsis.

The popular former Coffee Shack owner became unwell on April 14 and was admitted to QEQM Hospital on April 19 before being blue-lighted to St Bart’s on April 25.

Wife Naomi said: “He first became unwell with aches and tiredness on Monday 14th April, and I called an ambulance on Tuesday 15th in the middle of the night as I knew something wasn’t right.

“The paramedic did his observations and didn’t suspect anything unusual so suggested treating from home and at that stage Gaz didn’t want to go to the hospital as the paramedics said it was very busy up there.

“He stayed at home until it became apparent he needed medical help in early hours of Easter Saturday. After blood tests and scans it was bought to light he had Bilateral Pneumonia and severe sepsis.

“The urgency to London on the following Friday was when they believed the infection was coming from the ICD/pacemaker device inside him which is connected to his heart. “The ICD has now been removed and he’ll receive ongoing treatment until the infection completely clears.

“Eventually a new device will need to be implanted due to his heart condition, ARVC. It’s a long road to recovery but he’s a fighter and will get there.”

The 41-year-old self-published his first book in 2021 – ticking it off his bucket list as a post heart attack achievement.

That book – A Parent Apart – received a five star rating for its “compelling” plot delving into the consequences of a choice that leads to the tragic death of a child and a police investigation.

Gaz had set writing a novel as a target following his retirement from a ten year career with Kent Police due to suffering a cardiac arrest aged just 29. It was caused by Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or ARVC, which is a type of cardiomyopathy that affects the pumping chambers of the heart and causes abnormal heart rhythms.

The former Dane Court student underwent operations to fit three ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) and had a complete change of career with the opening of The Coffee Shack on Ramsgate seafront in 2014.

Author Gaz Wright, wife Naomi and children Florence and Sully

The book, written by combining Gary’s love of the coast, life as a parent to children Florence and Sully, now aged seven and five, and experience from the police force, marked another ‘life-changing’ event and a new career.

Gaz and wife Naomi sold up the shack in 2022 so he could concentrate on writing and it proved to be the right decision.

In March last year Gaz was snapped up for a two-book deal by Avon Books with A Parent Apart going through an editing process which resulted in a new chapter structure and new ending.

It was released last August under the title After The Storm.

The second book, Into The Fire, is due to be released this June 5th and is also based in the setting of Beachbrook with some of the same characters from After The Storm., including DS Sue Willmott.

It tells the story of a man who rescues a baby from a burning house, becoming an unexpected national hero, but is then accused of being responsible for an unsolved murder in the seaside town years earlier.

Gaz was due to be on the promotion trail with signings and festivals to mark the upcoming publication when he became ill.

Naomi said: “He worked so long and hard on it, and it’s received such lovely reviews from those who have already read it, but he has had to cancel so many things that were arranged to promote it, like podcasts, articles, festivals. He is so sad about it.

“The pneumonia / sepsis is still playing havoc with him and it’s sad to see my smiley husband so broken. He hasn’t seen the kids in weeks and it’s just so heartbreaking to witness.

“He’s on IV antibiotics every four hours day and night, and is due more procedures and operations over the next few weeks so we can hopefully get him back on his feet. “

Naomi says there has been some progress for Gaz and has also thanked the dozens of well-wishers. She says she is hoping people will share news of Into The Fire to hopefully “put a smile on his face.”