Charlie Bird gave well-wishers a bittersweet update as he posted a pre-Christmas picture but warned: “I don’t know how long more I will survive for.”
The ex-RTE newsman, 73, has inspired the nation with his battle against motor neurone disease, which led to the Climb with Charlie mission up Croagh Patrick that raised over €3million for charity. In the post, Charlie wrote: “Hi, myself and Tiger want to send you all Christmas wishes.
"But I need to be honest, over the past couple of weeks my MND has started to spread to my limbs and I don’t know how long more I will be mobile for, and survive for. But while I can I want to extend the hand of friendship.”
Read more: Charlie Bird hopes to be reunited with pal Vicky Phelan after death
The news will come as a blow to supporters, as Charlie had recently been tweeting that his next goal was to be well enough to go and see Bruce Springsteen when he plays here in May. Last month Charlie dedicated his win for the Biography of the Year at An Post Book Awards to the late Vicky Phelan, who he had met following his diagnosis and who had become a firm friend.
He wrote on social media: “I am dedicating my award to everyone who has MND and a terminal illnesses. And to the memory of my new friend Vicky Phelan, and to everyone in a dark place, including myself.”
He had met Vicky for the first time only a year before she passed away after sending a message to a mutual acquaintance asking to be introduced. He said: “Claire, I and Tiger travelled to her home in Limerick, we spent a couple of hours with her.
“She had tea and scones ready for us, anyway to cut a long story short, we hit it off as if we were long lost friends. We even joked that we both had bright eyes. That was the only time we met in person but it was the start of a great supportive relationship on WhatsApp.”
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