Sammy died in March last year, with the inquest taking place this week
Earlier this week, the inquest into the death of Warwick Davis’ wife Sammy revealed her heartbreaking cause of death.
Samantha, who the actor affectionately called Sammy, died on March 24 last year. The actor announced the sad news in a statement. Warwick said: “Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs. She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.”
The couple shared two children – daughter Annabelle, 28, and son Harrison, 22. Sammy was 53 when she died at London’s University College Hospital.
At the time, Warwick and his children didn’t reveal how Sammy had died. However, details of her final days were shared at the inquest, held at West London’s Coroner’s Court earlier this week.
Warwick Davis’ wife Sammy’s final days
As per PA News, via Kent Online, Sammy had been admitted to hospital on February 7 following a loss of mobility in her legs. This was caused by a disc prolapse. Sammy had long struggled with her back.
The actress had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder which results in dwarfism. In 2016, she endured multiple surgeries caused by her “very severe spinal problems”. She had a further operation in 2019.
Two operations ahead of her death
In hospital last year, Sammy had an operation called a thoracotomy – where the chest wall is opened. It’s not known why she needed this operation. It took place on February 20. Her condition improved following a further thoracotomy on March 14.
UCLH’s David Lawrence, a cardiothoracic surgeon, said Sammy’s condition was “progressing well”. As a result, she had a surgical chest drain removed on March 19. Her a final drain removed on March 23 and the hospital was then preparing to discharge her.
However it was claimed that Sammy called her family at 10pm on March 23 complaining of chest pain. Doctors told the inquest, though, that her “chest x-ray was acceptable” and she had “very stable observations”.
Sammy’s cardiac arrest
Very sadly, Sammy went into cardiac arrest at 11.25pm on March 23 and was pronounced dead at 12.28am on March 24.
“The medical cause of death should be arrhythmic cardiac arrest and complications following left thoracotomies,” the senior coroner said. “In my view, the stress of everything together has precipitated this arrhythmic cardiac arrest in a lady who was not known to have any previous arrhythmia problems.”
Sammy’s sepsis battle
Operations that Sammy had on her spine in 2019 resulted in sepsis and saw her again fighting for her life.
In 2022, Warwick said: “It’s so hard to see someone you love more than anything in the world fighting to stay alive without the strength to even roll over in bed.”
He added: “We never take life for granted now, living each day as if it were our last.”
Warwick Davis’ statement following wife Sammy’s death
The family haven’t yet shared a statement following the inquest.
In a statement ahead of the inquest, through their lawyers, the family said: “The last year and trying to come to terms with Samantha’s death has been incredibly difficult. However, we hope that the inquest will at last provide us with answers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kindness and well-wishes to us all.”
