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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Jess Flaherty

'Forever thankful' hotel owner throwing huge gala to thank team for saving his life

A local hotel owner is to host a huge gala dinner to thank the team who saved his life last year.

Businessman and chairman of The Mikhail Group, Andrew Mikhail, opened The Grand in Southport in July this year, achieving his personal ambition to revive the historic venue.

The swanky opening of The Grand Brasserie and Chloe's Bar followed mere months later, while the launch of the Princess Grace Suite masked a very serious health battle.

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Like many people, Andrew contracted Covid 19 in early 2021 but his condition rapidly deteriorated. After spending several weeks in intensive care fighting for his life, Andrew suffered a cardiac arrest and his heart stopped for 17 minutes before the medical team were successfully able to restart it.

Andrew wound up being hospitalised for six months, and will be "forever" grateful for the NHS and the nurses and doctors who saved his life. Now, he wants to pay tribute to the 200,000 people and families who sadly were not as fortunate as him, while raising funds for charity.

Throughout the ordeal, Andrew's family was supported by charitable organisation, ICU Steps, the UK's only intensive care patient support charity. The charity works to support those who have been affected by critical illness.

It was Andrew's ambition to restore The Grand in Southport to its former glory (PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDERSON 2017)

On Saturday, January 21, Andrew is hosting a fundraising gala dinner at The Grand to raise much needed funds to allow ICU Steps to continue its invaluable work in Intensive Care units. The evening will be jam packed with entertainment, including the 'King of Swing' Asa Murphy and the talented 'Soul Kinda Wonderful', who will be singing a mix of floor-filling classics.

The evening will be hosted by Claire Simmo, while Mick Miller will be on the bill to bring laughter to the occasion, and Jack Bennett will be on hand to finish the evening with a bang. The black-tie dinner will take place in the stylish Princess Grace Suite and tickets, priced at £75 per person, include a drink on arrival and a three course dinner.

Andrew Mikhail, chairman of The Mikhail Group, said: "I will forever be thankful to the NHS team who brought me back to life and to ICU Steps for supporting my wife and children when I could not. There are no words, deeds or donations that will ever express my gratitude.

"It is my absolute honour to be hosting this gala dinner in support of this amazing charity. It seems only fitting that this gala dinner, held in a building I brought back to life, will benefit those who brought me back to life."

Tickets for the event went on sale on Monday, December 12 at 8am. Tickets cost £75 per person, with tables of eight people available.

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