“She was everything to me”: Husband’s heartbreaking plea brings The Project viewers to tears
Viewers of The Project were reduced to tears after a heartbreaking plea from a Queensland dad urging people to get a flu shot following the death of his wife.
35-year-old Toowoomba mother-of-three Jacinta Foulds passed away in hospital early on Wednesday morning after suffering from the flu and developing a secondary infection.
Her distraught husband Dan Foulds told the show that he’s going through a “world of hurt” after losing his “soulmate”.
The carpenter revealed how he originally believed the flu shot was “a waste of money” and despite feeling under the weather, would still go to work.
But ever since the loss of his wife, he says his opinion has changed and strongly recommends everyone to get vaccinated.
“If I can use the death of my wife, my soulmate, my world, she was everything to me, if I can use her death in a positive manner then it’s not all for nothing,” the told The Project.
Doctors diagnosed Jacinta with influenza A on August 2, but she was soon rushed to hospital only 5 days later.
She died the next day.
What keeps Dan going is the hope that her death wasn’t in vain.
Throughout the interview, the widow was incredibly emotional as he cried multiple times during the chat.
And it wasn’t just him that was affected, as hosts Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar also felt his heartbreak.
Viewers at home took to Twitter as they watched his “gut wrenching” interview.
God, can't stop crying;
a #FluShot would have stopped this happening,
suddenly the cost of the jab seems insignificant, doesn't it! #TheProjectTV— Christine Whybrow🏳️🌈 (@christine_w86) 8 August 2019
💔 Just get a flu shot. This is gut wrenching #TheProjectTV
— unfunded and empathic (@saintsister) 8 August 2019
One woman said her “whole house” was “in tears”.
“A poignant message from Dan’s sad loss. The flu is serious: Get your shot every year, stay home from work when sick, seek medical help early if symptoms persist,” she tweeted.
Another woman said she couldn’t stop crying with one man calling Dan brave for speaking out so soon after his wife’s death.
Waleed reassured Dan that his plea will reach many people.
“Dan, I reckon you may have just saved more than one life – there’s a possibility you’ve saved lots,” he said.
He also praised the father for spreading awareness and having the urge to speak out.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Foulds family get through this difficult time.