Pope Francis came dangerously close to death during his weeks-long hospital stay, so much so that doctors considered halting his pneumonia treatment to allow him to pass peacefully, the head of his medical team revealed on March 25.
The 88-year-old pope’s most critical moment occurred on February 28, when he nearly choked on his vomit after being hospitalized for a respiratory crisis. According to Dr. Sergio Alfieri, a leading physician at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, “There was a real risk he might not make it.”
“We had to decide whether to stop treatment and let him go peacefully, or continue with the treatment and risk causing damage to his other organs,” Dr. Alfieri said. “In the end, we chose to push forward.”
The pope had been admitted to the hospital on February 14 for bronchitis, which rapidly developed into double pneumonia—a serious concern given he had part of his lung removed in his youth. The Vatican provided detailed daily updates throughout his 38-day hospitalization.
Dr. Alfieri shared that it was Pope Francis’ personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, who urged the medical team to continue the treatment after the choking incident, saying, “Try everything, we won’t give up.” “That’s what we all thought too. No one gave up,” Alfieri added.
The treatment carried risks to his kidneys and bone marrow, but the pope’s condition slowly improved as his body responded to the medication, and his lung infection lessened.
The doctor recalled the emotional moment when Pope Francis left his hospital room in white attire to greet well-wishers from the hospital balcony on Sunday, marking his first public appearance in weeks.
Alfieri said, “It was the emotion of seeing the man become the pope again.”
Since leaving the hospital, Pope Francis has been ordered to rest for two more months to fully recover, though it is unclear how often he will appear in public in the coming weeks.