Rochelle Humes rushes to comfort This Morning guest as he sobs over family death
Rochelle Humes was presenting the ITV morning show alongside Dermot O'Leary when she rushed to comfort one of the guests as he became overwhelmed with emotion
This Morning presenter Rochelle Humes couldn't bear to watch one of her guests breaking down in tears live on air without stepping in to offer comfort.
The ITV personality, 36, is currently appearing alongside Dermot O'Leary this week, filling in for regular hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley whilst they take their summer break.
During Monday's programme (July 28), they welcomed the relatives of Yvonne Ford, the British holidaymaker from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, who was scratched by a puppy whilst on holiday in Morocco and tragically died months later from rabies.
Initially showing no signs of illness, she was taken to Barnsley Hospital after experiencing a "horrendous" headache, and within days her health deteriorated rapidly.
She started hallucinating, lost the ability to walk, speak or swallow, and developed hydrophobia. Once alarm bells sounded, doctors moved the grandmother-of-four to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, where relatives were informed she had contracted the deadly disease, reports Wales Online.
Her family are now determined to ensure Yvonne's death wasn't meaningless, hoping to spread awareness as widely as possible, beginning with a This Morning appearance despite being overwhelmed by grief after losing their mother and wife just last month on June 11.
Still coming to terms with their loss, husband Ron alongside daughter and neonatal nurse Robyn Thompson and her son Adam, appeared on the ITV show to highlight the risks of rabies. Ron and Robyn remembered Yvonne as a "huge animal lover" with the "biggest heart", noting that she hadn't been bothered or sought medical attention after a puppy scratched her during a holiday in Morocco.
Yvonne's husband recounted how her cut hadn't even bled, telling the hosts she'd seemed fine and had even danced the night away just weeks before her death.
As he spoke about his fun-loving wife who showed no symptoms, Ron was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears. Rochelle, visibly moved herself, reached out to comfort him, placing a hand on his shoulder as he covered his face with his hands.
Giving Ron a moment, Rochelle's co-host Dermot turned the conversation to Robyn, discussing their reasons for appearing on the show. The nurse explained they simply wanted to raise as much awareness as possible to prevent other families from experiencing the same pain they had endured watching their mum tragically deteriorate.
Dermot thanked them for coming in, acknowledging their grief and their efforts to channel it through their appearance. He sensitively asked: "What's the one message you'd like to get across today?"
Adam added: "Check the rabies recommendations. I mean Morocco was only recommended. We don't want anyone to go through what we've been through seeing our mum go through the seven days of deterioration that we had. Get those injections."
Ron went on to caution: "The World Cup is in Morocco in 2030, so anybody going just be aware."
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1, from 10am.