The wife of actor Warwick Davis, actress Samantha, died after suffering a cardiac arrest hours before a hospital was planning to discharge her, her inquest heard today.
Ahead of the inquest, which took place at Inner West London Coroner’s Court today (April 14), the family said they hoped it would “at last” provide them with “answers” as they continue to come to terms with her death.
Samantha died last year. She was aged 53.
What happened to Warwick Davis’ wife?
Last March, Samantha died aged 53 at University College Hospital in London. Warwick, 55, and Samantha shared two children – daughter Annabelle, 28, and Harrison, 22 – after getting married in 1991.
To guide them through the inquest, Warwick’s family asked lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to support them.
“We know that the resilience and strength Sammy instilled in all of us will guide us through this difficult next chapter. Her love, support, and determination is a legacy we want to continue. ‘Sammy’s Helping Hands fund’, which was set up in her honour, has already had a huge impact on young people in the dwarfism community, and will continue to support families all over the UK moving forwards,” the family shared in a statement.
“The last year and trying to come to terms with Samantha’s death has been incredibly difficult. However, we hope that the inquest will at last provide us with answers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kindness and well-wishes to us all.”
Cause of death revealed at inquest
At the inquest today, per PA News via Kent Online, Sammy’s cause of death was revealed.
Senior Coroner for Inner West London, Professor Fiona Wilcox, concluded that Ms Davis died of arrhythmic cardiac arrest following complications of essential surgical treatment and from achondroplasia “complicated by spinal cord compression”.
Sammy was admitted to hospital on February 7 following a sudden loss of mobility in her lower limbs after a disc prolapse. She then underwent a thoracotomy operation – where the chest wall is opened – on February 20.
Her condition improved and, on March 14, the hospital was planning to discharge her.
However, Sammy went into cardiac arrest at 11.25pm on March 23. She was pronounced dead at 12.28am on March 24 following a failed attempt to resuscitate her.
Professor Wilcox said: “I am satisfied that the medical cause of death should be arrhythmic cardiac arrest and complications following left thoracotomies. In my view, the stress of everything together has precipitated this arrhythmic cardiac arrest in a lady who was not known to have any previous arrhythmia problems.”
She added: “In my view, if this compression hadn’t occurred, Ms Davis simply wouldn’t have been so unwell. She wouldn’t have needed two lots of major surgeries.”
Professor Wilcox added that she found the hospital treated Sammy with “nothing but excellent care”.
“It is frankly heartbreaking that the surgery itself was successful only for complications to arise and to cause her death,” she concluded.
‘She was always so supportive of my career’
At this year’s BAFTAs in February, Warwick paid an emotional tribute to Samantha.
While being awarded a BAFTA Fellowship, also known as a lifetime achievement award, Warwick thanked his mum, who was also his first agent. He also honoured his late wife.
“Above all I would like to dedicate and thank my wonderful wife Sammy who died almost a year ago. She was always so supportive of my career and encouraged me to grab every opportunity with both hands,” Warwick added.
Read more: Warwick Davis opens up on finding love again with mystery woman after wife’s death
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