'Terrified' father, 42, who refused a Covid vaccine because 'it may not be safe' issues warning to others after being rushed to intensive care 'struggling to breathe'
A father who refused to get a Covid vaccine has admitted he thought he'd never see his family again after he was rushed to intensive care with the virus.
Artur Brylowski, 42, was a fit and healthy gym-goer until the end of July, when he started to feel 'quite unwell' and struggled to breathe.
His worried wife called an ambulance and he was rushed to Wrexham Maelor Hospital with breathing problems.
Upon arrival, he tested positive for Covid and was transferred to intensive care.
His condition worsened in hospital and he was told by his doctor that he may have to be put on a ventilator.
That terrified him, he said, and the father-of-two from Wrexham began to wonder if he'd ever see his family again.
Mr Brylowski turned down a jab when it was offered to over-40s in April as he believed the virus would only severely affect older people. He also felt the vaccine had been 'rushed out' and wouldn't be safe.
Artur Brylowski, 42, was in intensive care with Covid after turning down the vaccine because he thought it wouldn't be safe
Mr Brylowski turned down a jab when it was offered to over-40s in April as he believed the virus would only severely affect older people
Describing how he fell ill, he told the BBC: 'I began feeling quite unwell at home, around a week before I came into hospital. I took some paracetamol and ibuprofen but neither made any difference and I was feeling sicker and sicker.'
Describing the effect the virus had on him, he added: 'I never expected to be this sick, I've had flu before but this was different. I couldn't breathe, it was frightening.
'The doctor told me my condition was deteriorating and there was a possibility I would be placed on a ventilator as I was struggling so much with my breathing.
'This terrified me - I thought I'd never see my family again.'
Mr Brylowski turned down the vaccine because he was healthy and thought he'd be fine.
He said: 'I just felt it was rushed out quickly and may not be safe. There was also a lot of things on social media that put me off, people saying different things, some saying get the vaccine and others saying don't.'
The father admitted he didn't think it would happen to him.
Mr Brylowski has since been in hospital for two weeks and intends to get vaccinated when he recovers.
He also hopes his story encourages more people to get vaccinated.
It comes after the heartbroken son from a family of anti-vaxxers revealed how his mother, father and brother all died of Covid within the space of a week, after refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine.
His worried wife called an ambulance and he was rushed to Wrexham Maelor Hospital with breathing problems at the end of July
Francis Goncalves suffered the devastating triple loss of his brother Shaul, 40, father, Basil, 73, and mother, Charmagne, 65, last month.
The 43-year-old, who lives Cardiff, says his three relatives, who were based in Portugal, refused the Covid jab after falling victim to 'anti-vaccination propaganda'.
Now Francis, who believes the virus spread through his family during a meal, is pleading with others to avoid 'falling into the trap' of Covid conspiracies.
Francis' tragedy is the latest in a line of anti-vaxxer deaths, including the likes of super-fit rock climbing and bodybuilding enthusiast John Eyers, 42, who died of Covid after refusing the jab due to his belief he would be fine without it.
Cambridge University graduate Leslie Lawrenson, 58, also passed away at his home in Bournemouth on July 2, just nine days after releasing footage to Facebook explaining why Covid was 'nothing to be afraid of'.