Meghan Markle’s estranged dad, Thomas Markle, underwent a three-hour surgery to have his left leg amputated below the knee after a blood clot cut off circulation.
His son, Thomas Markle Jr., confirmed the news to the Daily Mail on Thursday, saying, “My dad is being very brave. His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly.”
He then detailed taking him to a local hospital in the Philippines, where the patriarch lives, “and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.”
After he was rushed via ambulance to a bigger hospital in Cebu, doctors immediately took him in for surgery, where they operated for three hours and removed the limb.
Thomas Jr. noted that there “was no option” but to amputate as it was now “a case of life or death.”
Thomas Sr., 81, will have to undergo a second surgery to remove a blood clot in his left thigh.
However, it seems like he’s still not out of the woods as doctors are still “extremely concerned” for his welfare.
“One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical. His left leg has been removed below the knee. They were worried about infection setting in — sepsis or gangrene. The flesh was black and dying,” the retired Hollywood lighting director’s son reiterated.
“There was no option given,” he insisted. “It was either ‘we have to operate now and remove the leg or he may die.’ It was a life-threatening situation.”
The outlet also spoke to the doctors treating Meghan’s estranged dad, with one revealing that “the wound is healing but the next 24 to 72 hours are critical.”
“We need to make sure the wound heals and does not become infected. At the moment, he is in stable condition and doing well. But, at his age, that could change quickly,” the doctor added.
On Dec. 2, Thomas Jr. told the outlet that his father was in the ICU following an emergency surgery.
At the time, Meghan’s sister, Samantha, blamed his recent health issues on the hardships he has faced over the past few years.
“He is a strong man, but he has been through so much. I am praying that he is strong enough to survive this,” she told the Daily Mail.
“My father has been through two heart attacks, a stroke and an earthquake. I hope he can pull through this.”
Thomas Sr. was forced to miss Meghan’s 2018 wedding to Prince Harry after he had to undergo heart surgery.
He was hospitalized again four years later after suffering from a stroke while living in Tijuana, Mexico.
“I feel hugely grateful and know how lucky I am to be alive,” he told the Daily Mail after he was discharged five days later.
At the time, Samantha once again blamed his stroke on Meghan’s alleged disregard for their father.
Thomas Sr. welcomed Meghan with Doria Ragland, to whom he was married from 1979 to 1987. Thomas welcomed Samantha and Thomas Jr. with his first ex-wife, Roslyn Markle.
The post Meghan Markle’s estranged dad, Thomas, has leg amputated after foot ‘turned black’ in ‘life-threatening situation’ appeared first on Page Six.
