Surat/Ahmedabad: Reel’s friendship immortalized with the song ‘Jaane Nahi Denge Tujhe…’ from Bollywood blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’, played in real life during the COVID-19 pandemic when two friends from Surat and Ahmedabad saved their lives. For the heavens and the earth were transferred in one bid. Two doctors from the jaws of death.
Surat-based anesthesiologist Dr Sanket Mehta came back from the brink after a total hospitalization of 96 days. There was a time when Dr Mehta had a breathing machine and there was no chance of his recovery.
Dr. Mehta’s friends Dr. Jayesh Thakral, Dr. Sandeep Patel and Dr. Hiren Shah dug in their heels that if they have only 1% chance of survival, they are ready to bet on it. Relatives along with friends raised Rs 80 lakh through crowdfunding and Rs 8 lakh from the doctor fraternity to transfer Dr Mehta to Chennai in an air ambulance.
“If I am alive today it is because of my friends who refused to give up and let me go,” an emotional Dr Mehta told TOI. The good doctor himself won many hearts when a video of him risking his life as a patient in a Covid-19 ICU went viral on social media.
“It was a tough call for the family, but we assured them that we wish them all the best, and we will take responsibility for the risk we were taking,” Thakral said.
Similarly, in Ahmedabad too, Dr. Patel had great friends when he fought for life during the second wave. Dr Patel succumbed to his injuries, but his friends say their consolation is that they did everything to give him a fighting chance.
Dr Patel (43) and his entire family were covid Positive at the peak of the second wave in May. He lost his father and later became critical with COVID-19 and his lungs became completely non-functional.
Shailesh Patel, a medical store owner and friend of Dr Patel for more than 15 years, said that all his batchmates like Dr. Pranav Joshi and Dr. Vismit Joshipura came together to support Dr. Patel. “We did everything we could – from emergency beds to raising funds – to get a fighting chance for Dr. Patel,” he said.
Patel not only went to Chennai in late May by air ambulance and arranged room at the hospital, but also ensured all logistics and support for Dr Patel’s family back home. After his unfortunate demise in mid-June, Patel rented out his clinic on Anandnagar Road to look after his family. Patel said, “Dr Patel never told any of his friends or patients.” Friends had raised about Rs 1 crore for the treatment of Dr Patel.
Surat-based anesthesiologist Dr Sanket Mehta came back from the brink after a total hospitalization of 96 days. There was a time when Dr Mehta had a breathing machine and there was no chance of his recovery.
Dr. Mehta’s friends Dr. Jayesh Thakral, Dr. Sandeep Patel and Dr. Hiren Shah dug in their heels that if they have only 1% chance of survival, they are ready to bet on it. Relatives along with friends raised Rs 80 lakh through crowdfunding and Rs 8 lakh from the doctor fraternity to transfer Dr Mehta to Chennai in an air ambulance.
“If I am alive today it is because of my friends who refused to give up and let me go,” an emotional Dr Mehta told TOI. The good doctor himself won many hearts when a video of him risking his life as a patient in a Covid-19 ICU went viral on social media.
“It was a tough call for the family, but we assured them that we wish them all the best, and we will take responsibility for the risk we were taking,” Thakral said.
Similarly, in Ahmedabad too, Dr. Patel had great friends when he fought for life during the second wave. Dr Patel succumbed to his injuries, but his friends say their consolation is that they did everything to give him a fighting chance.
Dr Patel (43) and his entire family were covid Positive at the peak of the second wave in May. He lost his father and later became critical with COVID-19 and his lungs became completely non-functional.
Shailesh Patel, a medical store owner and friend of Dr Patel for more than 15 years, said that all his batchmates like Dr. Pranav Joshi and Dr. Vismit Joshipura came together to support Dr. Patel. “We did everything we could – from emergency beds to raising funds – to get a fighting chance for Dr. Patel,” he said.
Patel not only went to Chennai in late May by air ambulance and arranged room at the hospital, but also ensured all logistics and support for Dr Patel’s family back home. After his unfortunate demise in mid-June, Patel rented out his clinic on Anandnagar Road to look after his family. Patel said, “Dr Patel never told any of his friends or patients.” Friends had raised about Rs 1 crore for the treatment of Dr Patel.
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