The mother of Prime Minister David Thompson is relieved by Dr Richard Ishmael’s statement that her son will be able to resume duties as Prime Minister despite his illness.
Speaking at her St Philip home yesterday, Margaret Knight told the Weekend Nation the Prime Minister broke the news of his illness to her early, and she spoke of having “a bit of a breakdown” on hearing it.
“He told me when he found out. As Dr Ishmael said, the first couple of tests did not really show anything. I think it was the third one they did and he told me, and of course I had a bit of a breakdown,” Knight said.
But she added she was reassured at that time by her son’s positive reaction, as he told her he was in good medical hands and he had tremendous faith in God’s ability to heal him.
Yesterday Knight also echoed that faith saying: “Life has been tough at times but God has brought me through everything and I know that he is going to bring David through this.
“I just have that faith and I know that God will bring him through.”
Still she said it was tough dealing with the situation on a daily basis.
“When I am out and about I try to keep a smile on my face and not show that it is bothering me.
“Any upset that I have I keep it at home . . . [until] when I go to bed at night.”
Knight said she also took heart from her son’s positive attitude evident in daily text conversations they exchanged.
Responding to a suggestion that the illness threatened to short-circuit the boyhood leadership aspirations her son had finally realised, Knight said: “I suppose there are two points of view.
“One, he got to the pinnacle, he did achieve what he wanted to achieve, that is to be Prime Minister. But to think that maybe he came close to having that snatched away from him or whatever . . . but personally I don’t think that is the case as his doctor said his duties would be reduced.
“I thought to myself, he’s got this far and he has not even finished out one term, and now for this to happen. But . . . whatever God decides.”
Knight added Thompson’s illness at this time was like “a double whammy”, since she had subsequently learnt of the death of her ex-husband last Saturday.
