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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Thomas Sr., father of Meghan Markle, undergoes life-saving surgery

Thomas Sr., father of Meghan Markle, undergoes life-saving surgery

Published Dec 5, 2025 07:09 pm
MARKLE (AP)
MARKLE (AP)
CEBU CITY – Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, underwent leg amputation below the knee in what was described as a life-saving operation in a hospital here.
A report by Daily Mail stated that Thomas Jr., son of the 81-year-old retired Hollywood lighting director, disclosed that the three-hour surgery on Wednesday removed a blood clot that endangered the life of his father.
Thomas Jr. rushed his father to a hospital after his limb turned black after a blood clot cut off circulation. Thomas Sr. was transferred to a bigger hospital capable of performing the procedure on him. Thomas Sr. may still undergo another procedure to remove a blood clot in his left thigh.
Thomas Jr. said doctors are “extremely concerned” although his father is in stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit.
“One of his doctors said the next two or three days are critical,” Thomas Jr. said. “His left leg was removed below the knee due to dying tissue. They were worried about infection—sepsis or gangrene. There was no option: Operate now or he may die. It was a life-threatening situation,” he added.
In a social media livestream update from Cebu on Thursday evening, Dec. 4, Thomas Jr. said they faced difficulties in a hospital near their home before his father was moved to a larger medical facility.
Thomas Jr. lamented that the first hospital where his father was initially brought “didn’t do a god-damn thing.”
The hospital where Thomas Sr. is currently confined is “a hundred times better” and provides “top-shelf care,” Thomas Jr. said.
Thomas Jr. said the medical emergency left him exhausted and apologized to staff for stress-driven outbursts. “I was like a ping pong ball,” he said.
The father and son have been staying in the Philippines since early this year. Last October, they were said to have been stuck on the 19th floor of a Cebu building during a magnitude-6.9 earthquake.
Thomas Jr. said he will regularly post updates on his YouTube channel. Proceeds that will be generated from the social media streaming will be used for his father’s care, Thomas Jr. said.
Thomas Jr. disclosed that his father’s insurance does not cover treatment in Cebu, forcing the family to shell out resources.
He also planned to launch a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his father’s medical expenses.

Related Tags

Cebu Cebu City Thomas Markle Jr. Thomas Markle Sr. Meghan Markle
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