Bonnie Tyler has reportedly been resuscitated after suffering a cardiac arrest while doctors attempted to bring her out of an induced coma at a hospital in Portugal.
The legendary Welsh singer, 74, remains in intensive care at Faro Hospital in the Algarve after undergoing emergency surgery for a burst appendix that reportedly caused a serious infection. According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, Bonnie’s condition worsened late last week after complications linked to a perforated intestine.
Doctors are said to have placed the Total Eclipse of the Heart star into an induced coma to help her recovery, but during attempts to wake her, she allegedly went into cardiac arrest and had to be revived by medics.
Despite the terrifying setback, Bonnie’s longtime friend Liberto Mealha insisted doctors remain optimistic she can make a full recovery. He said the singer first began feeling unwell during a concert in London and sought medical advice, but tests reportedly failed to detect the problem.
“She decided to travel to the Algarve, where she began to feel severe abdominal pain,” he explained. “Two days later, she went to a private hospital, which urgently transferred her to the hospital in Faro because her appendix had burst and she needed emergency surgery.”
Reports in Portugal claim Bonnie had been bedridden for two days at her Algarve home before her husband Robert Sullivan rushed her to hospital. She is believed to have first fallen ill around a month ago but continued working despite suffering persistent pain.
Last Thursday, Bonnie’s spokesperson confirmed she had been placed into an induced coma “to aid her recovery” following emergency intestinal surgery.
A previous statement from her team read: “We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery. The surgery went well and she is now recuperating.”
The singer, who represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 and enjoyed a string of chart-topping hits throughout her career, was reportedly rushed to hospital on April 30.
Her representatives have not yet commented on the reports that she suffered cardiac arrest.
Liberto Mealha also revealed Bonnie’s husband has remained constantly by her bedside throughout the ordeal. He praised hospital staff in Faro and reportedly said he believes “if Bonnie had stayed in the United Kingdom she would no longer be here.”
Fans from across the world have flooded social media with emotional messages of support.
One supporter wrote: “Come on Bonnie girl. Us Welshies don’t give up. Here is to a full recovery.”
Another added: “Speedy recovery for Bonnie. She is such a lovely lady.”
