President Emeritus Guido de Marco was taken off the life-support machine yesterday and, although not yet out of the woods, he is making a marked improvement every day.
An update from Mater Dei Hospital’s medical team said Prof. de Marco’s condition continued to improve and “is requiring less intensive treatment”. The next bulletin is expected today.
Prof. de Marco, 79, remains weak but he was sitting on an armchair yesterday afternoon talking to his family and even ate some food served by the staff at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, sources told The Sunday Times.
“His morale is very high. Read-ing and hearing all the words of encouragement from so many well-wishers really boosted his spirits,” the sources said.
Prof. de Marco went to hospital on Thursday morning for a scheduled angioplasty, not his first, to widen an obstructed heart artery. The moment he was about to undergo this procedure he developed complications, so it was postponed.
On Friday he defied medical expectations when he was brought round from the induced coma and started communicating and responding to treatment.
The comments urging the “Lionheart” to fight this battle have not stopped pouring in and timesofmalta.com has been flooded with words of encouragement, admiration and prayers.
People described him as “one of Malta’s finest politicians” and a “true gentleman” whose “fervour and enthusiasm” inspired those who knew him.
The Nationalist Party yesterday issued a statement wishing Prof. de Marco well and saying the country was united behind one of its “most dedicated sons”.
It welcomed the positive medical bulletins and wished him a speedy recovery to continue enjoying his family who are so dear to him.
But above all it urged him to continue contributing to the country, especially in those areas in which he continued to share his wisdom and experience – namely law, foreign affairs and diplomacy.
“Despite retiring from front-bench politics, he continued to provide a sterling service in these very important sectors,” the PN said.
“Guido de Marco has never been the kind to give up in his long and illustrious career in politics, which he aptly describes as a ‘mission’,” it added.
During his long political tenure, Prof. de Marco served as deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior and Justice, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Justice.
He presented Malta’s application for EU membership in July 1990. In September of the same year, he was elected president of the United Nations General Assembly.