Children’s author Michael Rosen meets an angelic sister who took care of him during the Covid battle

Nurse Beth Dixon, 28, was caring for the author of Let’s Go Bear Hunting in April 2020 as Britain was gripped by the first wave of Covid.

Author Michael Rosen lay in a deep coma, unaware that one of his biggest fans was watching over him.

Nurse Beth Dixon, 28, was caring for the author of Let’s Go Bear Hunting in April 2020 as Britain was gripped by the first wave of Covid.

As Michael, 75, lay in a darkened ward, Guardian Angel Beth herself put pen to paper and left a note that read: “You did really well overnight. You start moving small pieces, which is excellent. you got that!!

“I look forward to meeting you when you wake up, you wrote my favorite book.”

This was a reference to Bear Hunt, which was written by Michael in 1989 and has been a children’s hit ever since. But it would be two years before they met – after journalists contacted them.

Michael said enthusiastically: “It was amazing to put a face to the letter that I have looked at and read many times.

“It was magical to see her as a living person. It was a nice shock.”

Michael has always loved the NHS and his eight weeks in intensive care at Whittington Hospital in north London has only increased his admiration and gratitude.

He said: “What I want to say to her goes beyond ‘thank you.’ When you say “thank you for saving my life”, “thank you for taking care of me” it seems so inappropriate because you say thank you when you get a piece of toast. But every part of me is filled with gratitude and affection for Beth and all the others who took care of me.

“I’m actually at a loss for words.”

Modest Beth, who is from Sheffield and normally treats children at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, said: “It’s overwhelming, it’s really nice to see how well he’s recovered because we couldn’t see that after people left the station.

“Caring means doing everything to make them better. It meant holding their hand, talking to them because they had no one else with them. Holding a hand can be very moving.”

Still suffering from long-suffering Covid symptoms, Michael says the No10 Partygate scandal has “put salt in the wound” for those who played by the rules.

He added: “It’s terrible what they did. There was a time when I woke up from the coma and learned to walk. I was confused and couldn’t understand why I didn’t see my family. Meanwhile Boris had a birthday party.”