A Londoner who was stranded in Mexico while awaiting an available hospital bed in Ontario has died.
Stuart Cline, 71, was vacationing with his wife in Puerto Vallarta when he fell, causing extensive internal bleeding. It was made worse because he was already on blood thinners and required a pacemaker.
Despite being medically cleared to fly home three days later, his family was told there were no available intensive care unit beds at a London hospital.
While searching for a way to get Cline home, his family shared their struggle with London West MPP Peggy Sattler, who in turn brought the issue up at Queen’s Park last week.
On social media Sunday, Sattler wonders what could have been if Cline was able to get the medical attention he required in his home province.
“I did not know Stuart Cline, but he was a constituent in London West and I failed him. He had a right to expect that our health-care system would be there when he needed it most,” Sattler said in a Facebook post.
“The question that haunts me is whether Stuart would still be with his family if he had been transferred to Ontario last Saturday, when he was cleared for travel, instead of being forced to wait five days because of a shortage of hospital beds.”
His family told 980 CFPL last week that his condition was deteriorating while awaiting a return flight to Ontario.
Cline was transported back to Canada on March 1, more than a week after suffering his injuries. He passed away in that hospital days later on Saturday.
Sattler raised the issue at Queen’s Park last week when Cline was still stranded at a Mexican hospital, the second time she had brought up the overcrowding issues.
Cline was a longtime Subway franchise owner who managed six locations in London before his retirement.