Yesterday, we reported that Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas had been rushed to the hospital in the Philippines. Now, it’s been revealed that Thomas has had his leg amputated in emergency surgery.
Thomas Markle’s Leg Amputated
Thomas, 81, underwent life-saving surgery on Wednesday, December 3. During the three-hour procedure, he had his left leg amputated below the knee after a blood clot cut off circulation and the limb turned black.
“My dad is being very brave,” his son Thomas Jr., Meghan’s 59 year-old half brother, told Daily Mail. “His foot turned blue and then black. It happened very quickly. I took him to a local hospital and they did some scans and an ultrasound and said the leg had to be amputated.”
“There was no option,” he continued. “I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death.”
Thomas is now preparing to undergo yet another procedure to remove a blood clot in his left thigh. His son, who is his caregiver, went on to say that doctors are “extremely concerned” for his father’s welfare.
“One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical,” Thomas Jr. stated. “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.”
“There was no option given,” he concluded. “It was either ‘we have to operate now and remove the leg or he may die.’ It was a life-threatening situation.”
Meghan’s spokesperson declined to comment when contacted about her father’s leg amputation. On the very day that the operation took place, Meghan released her Christmas special on Netflix.
In it, she talked about the importance of spending time with family over the holidays despite the fact that she’s been estranged from her father since right before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.
Meghan’s History With Thomas
Thomas, who is a retired Emmy-award winning Hollywood lighting director, split from Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland when she was 3.
Meghan lived with her father from the time that she was 11-18. He then paid the $250,000 tuition costs for her to attend Northwestern University. Thomas even kept paying off this debt when Meghan was already an established actress on the television series Suits. By the end of her run on that show, she was earning $40,000 an episode.
“I said I would pay for her education and I did,” Thomas previously said. “She went to private schools from kindergarten on. I finished paying her university debt when she was already well established as an actress and making good money. But I believed it was my duty as a father to give her the best education and the best start possible in life.”
“We were always so close,” he continued. “Being shut out of her life is the biggest tragedy of my life. I don’t understand what I did so wrong that she never talked to me again. I have been upset at my daughter, I have been angry at her at times – but I have never stopped loving her.”
Thomas Moves To The Philippines
Thomas moved to the Philippines earlier this year with his son. At the time, he said that he was going there to “escape” the constant reminders of his estrangement from Meghan.
“Every day there was some story or other about Meghan and Harry,” Thomas previously said. “It was a constant reminder that my daughter is no longer speaking to me. I still do not understand why she continues to ghost me. My only wish is to see my grandchildren before I die.”
Indeed, Thomas has never met his grandchildren Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.
Thomas’ son is expecting his father to remain in hospital for “a long time,” adding that he is facing a “grueling” recovery.
“I would ask Meg, on a week when she has released a TV show talking about the power of love and family, to reach out to our dad,” Thomas Jr. concluded to The Mail. “She needs to start showing the compassion she preaches about.”
If Meghan has the compassion that she’s always claimed to have, we certainly would think that she’d contact her father after this devastating amputation surgery. Only time will tell if that will actually happen.
Please join us in saying a prayer for Thomas Markle.