Mike Tindall has described his dad Phil’s final three months as “horrible” following his death.
The former rugby union player shared the account during an XTRA edition of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby. He said Phil had been properly awake only once during his final three weeks.
His latest account follows Mike’s announcement that Phil had died after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Mike Tindall says dad Phil’s death brought relief
Describing those weeks, Mike said: “I’m not going to lie, it was a bit of a godsend. He’d been awake, properly, once in the last three weeks. It was a bad three months for him, and it was horrible to see.”
Mike then explained why Phil’s death also brought him a sense of relief.
Mike said: “It’s a relief that he’s free from his body now. He lived a great life, and he didn’t owe us anything.”
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The remarks followed Mike’s confirmation of Phil’s death on the main podcast’s September 23 episode.
“Unfortunately, my dad passed away last week,” he told listeners.
He also linked Phil’s experience to his views about euthanasia. He questioned opposition from those who had never watched an admired parent undergo such decline.
He described that experience as unfair.
Phil lived with Parkinson’s
Phil had lived with Parkinson’s for more than 20 years, according to Mike. The condition is where parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, the NHS states.
Mike said his dad’s illness led to spinal curvature, plus posture, dietary and bowel problems.
In May, Mike described Parkinson’s as brutal while discussing how the disease had changed Phil. He said the illness offered no respite from its effects on the body.
Mike Tindall remembers happier family times
Mike found comfort in remembering happier periods, when Phil was more mobile. He particularly remembered Phil playing with one of his daughters.
That recollection offered a warmer image than the illness’s impact during his final months.
Mike generally kept Phil and his mother Linda outside the public spotlight. However, the couple were devoted grandparents to Mike and Zara Tindall’s three children.
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