Man, 44, is left with ‘permanent damage’ to health after hotel ‘error’ left him close to death on his honeymoon
Thomas Coupland, a 44-year-old man from Sheffield, says his life was changed forever after a terrible illness during his honeymoon in Sorrento, Italy. What was supposed to be a joyful, relaxing trip turned into a nightmare when he fell seriously ill on the flight home.
He and his wife Natasha had spent over £1,600 on their holiday in May last year. But shortly after returning, Thomas developed flu-like symptoms and diarrhoea. Doctors first thought it was just a chest infection and gave him antibiotics. However, his condition quickly got worse, and he ended up in intensive care, suffering from heart failure. His heart rate reached a dangerous 214 beats per minute, and doctors had to use an electric shock to bring it back to normal.
Eventually, he was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, a serious lung infection caused by breathing in tiny water droplets containing harmful bacteria. It’s often caught in places like hotels, where water systems—like air conditioning units, showers, and pools—aren’t properly cleaned or maintained.
Thomas believes he got the illness from the hotel they stayed in. He and Natasha say the bathroom was dirty, with black mould on the shower head, limescale buildup, and a green-looking swimming pool. He still hasn’t fully recovered and now lives with permanent health problems. He can’t do many of the things he used to enjoy, like playing sports or swimming with his young son. The couple also now have to pay for childcare on days Thomas would have normally been home.
Thomas and Natasha are working with lawyers to investigate the hotel and want to raise awareness so other travelers don’t go through the same thing. They’re asking for answers and hope their story will help prevent future cases like this.
