BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AFTER being hospitalised in a coma over the past two weeks, 78-year-old Slinger ‘The Mighty Sparrow’ Francisco of Trinidad and Tobago is now conscious.
In an article dated Sept. 22 on www.trinidadexpress.com, his daughter Nicole Robinson is quoted giving positive news about her father’s condition saying, “He should be up and about soon but not too soon.”
According to Robinson, “He is communicating by blinks and lifting his hands. Sparrow is also listening to some of his favourite tunes which include some of his own gospel songs, country and western and classical.”
On Tuesday (Sept. 17), his wife Margaret Francisco released a statement on behalf of the family, informing that he was out of the coma. Reportedly, the statement was issued one day after he regained consciousness.
“We are pleased to inform the fans of the Dr. Slinger Francisco, the Mighty Sparrow, and the population at large that he is conscious and responsive. He is being monitored and we are hopeful that he will continue to progress further. We are especially grateful to the doctors and nurses for their professional and attentive caring for him. We also wish to express our profound appreciation for the prayers and outpouring of well wishes from all concerned and will issue further updates as it becomes necessary.”
The Mighty Sparrow had been in a coma at a hospital in Queen’s New York after he was reportedly found comatose at his home, stemming from complications related to diabetes.
This media house notes that there had been online rumours circulating with false reports that he was dead. Equally, there were media reports which squashed those untruths.
The Mighty Sparrow‘s most recent public show was at ‘The Doctors in Concert’ held in Trinidad in August, where he performed alongside fellow veteran calypso 72-year-old Dr. Leroy ‘Mighty Stalin’ Callist.
The Mighty Sparrow is known for a number of classic hits such as ‘Melada’, ‘The Lizard’ and ‘Lying Excuses’. To date, he has won eight monarch crowns and eight Road March titles in ‘The land of Steel Band and Calypso’ which, of course, is Trinidad and Tobago.
Notably, he was born on the island of Grenada but migrated to Trinidad and Tobago at 18 months old with his parents and older brother.
Today, Sparrow is globally recognised as the ‘Calypso King of The World’.
Robinson has advised that fans and well-wishers could send messages to her father via mightysparrow@gmail.com.
