The inquest into the death of Sir Bobby Charlton, one of England’s greatest footballers, has revealed that he died after an accidental fall at a nursing home where he was being cared for due to his dementia condition. The legend passed away at Macclesfield General Hospital aged 86 on 21 October. The hearing was conducted at Cheshire Coroner’s Court where the senior coroner concluded that his death was accidental. The inquest was told that Sir Bobby had lost his balance as he stood up from his chair, striking a window sill and “possibly a radiator”.
At the time when Sir Bobby fell, staff at the nursing home, The Willows in Knutsford, had performed a full-body check and noted no visible injuries. But they later noticed swelling on his back and subsequently called paramedics to the centre where he was receiving respite care since July. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with fractured ribs and was likely to develop pneumonia. Doctors then suggested putting Bobby Charlton on end-of-life care, which he received until he passed away five days later. The inquest revealed that he had an extensive medical history and had also contracted Covid in September.
Widely regarded as one of the best footballers in English history, Sir Bobby was a pivotal figure in their 1966 World Cup victory and won three league titles, a European Cup and an FA Cup during his 17-year first-team career with Manchester United. Thousands of fans left tributes at Old Trafford, with the area in front of the famous Trinity statue – where he is immortalised alongside team-mates George Best and Denis Law – inundated with memorabilia and flowers. A full memorial service is planned later this month.
Sir Bobby Charlton’s death comes as a shock to the football community who mourn the loss of one of the sport’s greats. Although described as accidental, it’s important to ensure that care homes are adequately equipped to deal with patients with medical conditions such as dementia, and that they receive proper care to prevent accidents from happening
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