A COUPLE who took over a Thornbury pub last year have thanked the community for their “incredible” support after their baby twins were born with a life-threatening condition.
Craig Bright and Kimberley Wall say they have been “blown away” by the support they have received since their boys, Louie and Ray, were born prematurely.
They have announced that they are stepping away from running the pub due to the commitment needed to look after the twins – but have thanked the town’s community for helping them through.
Craig took over the Malthouse in Thornbury High Street just last September, having previously run The Black Horse at Gillingstool.
Partner Kim was pregnant at the time and they thought running the pub together would be a good way to help each other out.
63 days in intensive care
But Louie and Ray were born prematurely at 33 weeks in December, and spent 63 days in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Kim said: “We always knew they had something called laryngomalacia, where the larynx collapsed partially.
“It’s something you can manage most of the time at home. But they kept having episodes of stopping breathing.”
‘I thought he had gone’
In March, Craig had just put Louie into the car when his breathing alarm went off.
Kim said: “Craig screamed for me – I thought Louie had gone. Louie was in his car seat, had turned grey and had blood coming down his chin.”
By chance, police officers had just arrived to do a spot check at the pub and told the couple to put Louie in a certain position, then called an ambulance before Louie took a breath.
Kim said Louie needed surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital and was on a ventilator, before going to London’s Great Ormond Street hospital for more surgery.
After ten days there he was brought back to Bristol and both he and Ray were in hospital together after Ray’s airway collapsed in May.
Kim said she had to take the younger of their other three children, aged between six and 15, to London while Louie was there.
The surgery worked and Louis recovered enough to come home in July – but Ray also needed treatment at Great Ormond Street.
Doctors are observing Louie’s recovery from surgery before operating on Ray, who returned home later in the month.
Kim said: “His airway has got stronger but he may need surgery at a future date.”
Craig and Kim are grateful for support they have received.
Kim said: “We have had overwhelming support from the community, from friends and family and all our customers, and staff who have sometimes run the pub for us. Incredible.
‘Blown away’ by support
“The only downside is we haven’t been able to manage the pub as we would have liked.
“The staff have been phenomenal. We are forever grateful for our staff, customers and community.
“People have cleared our back garden, Thornbury in Bloom planted flowers in pots, we’ve had customers changing barrels, customers holding the baby – we are absolutely blown away by the support and grateful to everybody.
“We have been running on adrenaline; the last few weeks was the hardest thing, and we are now starting to crash. It has affected us mentally, emotionally and financially.
“It will be nice to live a normal life again with all the children home – we are the lucky ones who brought our boys home from the children’s hospital.”
Kim and Craig have not yet decided on their future plans.
Kim said: “Unfortunately the pub wasn’t the right time. The brewery has been very supportive but we’re no longer going to be part of the pub due to our family commitments.”