[00:00:00]

Alexander MacKenzie

Yes, thank you. For the record, my name is Alexander MacKenzie and I’m a practising lawyer in Winnipeg here. Mrs. Voth, would you mind stating your full name to the Commission?

Martha Voth

My name is Martha Voth.

Alexander MacKenzie

Thank you, and do you promise and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Martha Voth

I do.

Alexander MacKenzie

Thank you. Mrs. Voth, you reside in Niverville?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

On May the 24th of 2021, you tested positive for COVID. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And you also were with your husband, Alvin, and he tested positive as well.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

You, yourself, had symptoms?

Martha Voth

Not as much by that time. I was on my way, getting better.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see, and how about your husband?

Martha Voth

No, he was not. He was having difficulty breathing, and he had no energy, but he went to get tested so he could go back to work.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see.

Martha Voth

Nothing could keep him down.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see, and what did he do for a living?

Martha Voth

He was a flooring specialist, so he installed flooring for 50 years.

Alexander MacKenzie

And he was very physically active?

Martha Voth

Very, and it’s a rigorous job so he had to be physically fit to do it, and he still worked five days a week.

Alexander MacKenzie

And he was 66 years old at that time, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

You say that he was becoming ill. He had symptoms that were flu-like, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And on May the 26th, 2021, what did you do as a result of that?

Martha Voth

Phoned the Walmart walk-in clinic because we wouldn’t have been able to get into the clinic in Niverville without an appointment, but at the walk-in we would. And he simply prescribed a drug, an antibiotic, for him, which he sent to the Niverville pharmacy, was picked up by our daughter, and she dropped it off at our door.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see. The Walmart drop-in was in Steinbach?

Martha Voth

Steinbach, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so you got the prescription and what happened then on May the 27th?

Martha Voth

Well, it seemed that he was getting progressively worse. He couldn’t walk very well because of the breathing difficulty. And so, I called the walk-in to ask if we could come in and they said, no, we couldn’t because I admitted we had tested positive for COVID. They said we had to go to emergency in Steinbach.

Alexander MacKenzie

And that’s the Bethesda Hospital.

Martha Voth

Bethesda Hospital, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And Alvin then was speaking and breathing with some difficulty?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

So you drove him then to Steinbach, to the hospital, and how was he feeling then?

Martha Voth

Well, he opened the window on the drive in, which gave him a lot of fresh air. And by the time we got to emergency, he admitted to me that he was feeling so much better because he had gotten a lot of fresh air. I went in, got a wheelchair so he wouldn’t have to walk, and brought him to the registration desk.

We got him registered and we were then put into a plexiglass cubicle where we sat and waited till they admitted him, which was about 15 minutes. And then, when they did admit him, they said I could not stay in the waiting room, I had to go home. And I said, because I’d driven a bit of a distance, I wasn’t going to go home; I was going to wait in my car until they released him and I could take him home. So I sat in the car about 45 minutes before they called me and said they were going to admit him and keep him overnight, and that’s when I went home.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see, and then you were at home and at around seven o’clock you received a phone call. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes, it was later on in the evening. I would say it was more like 9 or 9:30. They said they had put him on oxygen. His oxygen level was at 58, which is pretty low, but with a mask on the oxygen level did come up. They just wanted to let me know that he was very, very sick, and they were going to send him either to Brandon or fly him to Ontario. And I just said, “No, you’re not flying him there and you’re not bringing him to Brandon. We want to keep him close to home so that we could—”

[00:05:00]

Alexander MacKenzie

Brandon is about a three-hour drive. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And that would have been very hard for you to see him there.

Martha Voth

Right.

Alexander MacKenzie

And of course, Ontario would be an airplane trip.

Martha Voth

Yes, right.

Alexander MacKenzie

So you objected to that.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And what were you told?

Martha Voth

They were going to try and get a room somewhere in Winnipeg, but they said all the hospitals were full and didn’t actually have room, but they were going to try. And they said they were in contact with HSC.

Alexander MacKenzie

HSC is the Health Sciences Centre—

Martha Voth

Health Sciences Centre, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

In Winnipeg, which is about a 40-minute or a one-hour drive.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then, was there anything else that occurred that day on May the 27th?

Martha Voth

No.

Alexander MacKenzie

And on May the 28th, can you tell us what happened then?

Martha Voth

My husband called me in the morning, asked me to bring the batteries for his hearing aid and his cell phone charger, and I asked him how his night had gone. He said it was good. He had slept well. And I said, “And how do you feel this morning?” He said, “I feel good” because he was getting the oxygen he needed and he felt good.

Alexander MacKenzie

And how was he getting the oxygen?

Martha Voth

Just with a face mask.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see. Now, you had been asked to bring the cell phone charger and batteries and so what were you doing then? You were preparing to go—

Martha Voth

I was. I was trying to get ready, but I kept getting calls and so was a little slow at getting ready. But then the doctor called and informed me that they were going to ventilate him. I said, “No, no, why are you going to ventilate him? Why are you rushing this?” And he said, “Well, we’re not actually rushing it, we would have done it last night because he was dangerously low in his oxygen.” I said, “Okay, so wait till later in the day to see how the day goes.” Well, no, because they didn’t have enough oxygen for him and he needed 60 litres per minute and they just didn’t have enough oxygen.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay, now just stop a moment. He had been getting oxygen?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

His oxygen levels were up. He had said he was feeling much better.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so they were wanting to ventilate him. What did that have to do with the amount of oxygen?

Martha Voth

If they ventilated him, the oxygen would go directly into the lung and they wouldn’t need as much oxygen to keep his levels up.

Alexander MacKenzie

In terms of the ventilation, did you get to speak to him about that, that is to Alvin, your husband?

Martha Voth

Well, after the doctor had explained to me why they had to ventilate him now, instead of waiting, one of the reasons was the anesthesiologists only had eight-hour shifts and were going to go home after their eight-hour shift. And if anything drastic happened and he did need to be ventilated, nobody would be around to do it and then he would die.

Alexander MacKenzie

So then, they were going to take him off the mask, where he seemed to be doing not badly,

Martha Voth

Right.

Alexander MacKenzie

and they were going to ventilate him.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And the reason for that was an oxygen shortage, partly?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And also, partly because their staff would be gone who could install the ventilator?

Martha Voth

Right.

Alexander MacKenzie

And also, partly, because they’d called an ambulance?

Martha Voth

Right. That was another reason why they had to do it now because the doctor had already called STARS [Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service], which is the emergency medical team that picks people up and flies them to different locations.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see.

Martha Voth

So because he had called them 20 minutes prior to my call, I said, “I can’t get there in 20 minutes.” And he said, “Well, they’ll be here in 10 minutes.” And I said, “Well, I’m just not ready to get there; like just hold off.” “Well, no, we cannot waste their time because they’re flying all over Manitoba, picking people up. So we can’t waste their time.”

Alexander MacKenzie

And so, again, what is the distance from Niverville, in time, from Niverville to Steinbach?

Martha Voth

Half hour.

Alexander MacKenzie

Half hour?

Martha Voth

Twenty minutes to a half hour.

Alexander MacKenzie

So the STARS was going to be there in 10 minutes and it would have taken you a half an hour?

Martha Voth

At least a half hour to get there, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so what happened next?

Martha Voth

Then my husband called again and again he sounded great. He sounded normal and he asked, “When are you getting here?” And I said, “I can’t get there before STARS gets there.” And then I asked him, I said, “Are you okay with going on a ventilator?” He said, “I don’t know. I have nobody to talk to about this. They just tell me whatever, but I don’t know how to gauge whether I should go on it or not.”

Alexander MacKenzie

And he very much wanted to be able to speak with you about that? Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes. Yes. Yes.

[00:10:00]

Alexander MacKenzie

However, you didn’t get there, and he was moved from the Bethesda Hospital to the Health Sciences Centre by STARS?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

Did you become aware of any conversation that the STARS attendees had? Were you ever told of any conversation that is significant?

Martha Voth

Yes. A doctor called from the hospital in Steinbach and let me know that they had discussed to let me into my husband’s room there in Steinbach because I had also had COVID. But then, I talked to him about the ventilator because he had told me he was ventilated and he’s on his way to Health Sciences Centre.

And I talked to him about, why did he need to go on it? Why couldn’t he just stay on the mask? And then the nurse informed me that the STARS attendees— And my understanding is that STARS has their own doctor that they fly with, that they had questioned the staff in my husband’s room asking, “Why are you ventilating him? He seems like he’s doing fine. His oxygen level is up with the mask. He got up on his own out of bed and went to the bathroom. He is cooperating. He is not feeling sick, as such. Why are you ventilating him?” I don’t know what their answer was.

Alexander MacKenzie

You’ve never received an answer to that?

Martha Voth

No, just the doctor’s reasoning for ventilation.

Alexander MacKenzie

Then, at some point after Alvin had been moved, you got a call from the Health Sciences Centre. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And what were you told there about your attendance and so on?

Martha Voth

Well, even though he was close, not in Brandon or Ontario, they still were not going to allow us to go in to see him, but we could set up Zoom calls or video calls with him. And I kind of vetoed that idea because I didn’t think there was a point to it. He wasn’t responsive anyway. He was in a drug-induced coma. I didn’t see the point of it.

Alexander MacKenzie

And that was all on the day that he got moved from Bethesda to the Health Sciences Centre?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then the following day, on May the 29th, you got another call from the Health Sciences Centre, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes, it was by the doctor. He informed me of Alvin’s condition and just saying that he was very sick and didn’t think he’d make it.

Alexander MacKenzie

And was there anything further to your discussion that day that you can recall?

Martha Voth

Well, I asked him to put him on the drug that, and I’m not a medical expert, but that everybody seemed to think was working well, the off-label drug called ivermectin. And he said, “No, we only use scientifically and medically proven drugs that work.”

Alexander MacKenzie

I see, okay. And then was there anything else to that conversation?

Martha Voth

No.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay. Then on May the 30th—again, this is all in 2021—you requested regular video calls. You took them up on their offer. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And was that arranged for you and how did that work?

Martha Voth

Yes, they said they would start the next day with the video calls.

Alexander MacKenzie

And during that time too, I understand that you had regular calls and discussions with the medical staff at the Health Sciences Centre as to Alvin’s condition.

Martha Voth

Every morning I called to see the how the night had gone. Every evening I called to see how the day had gone and about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the kids and I would do a video call with him being in a comatose state. We would sing, we would talk about our day, and we would pray with him, and generally, it was about an hour-long call.

Alexander MacKenzie

And in those conversations, I understand you had the video calls, but you also had conversations with Health Sciences Centre staff, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes. They informed me what they were doing to him and with him every day. One of the nurses in particular was very kind, would speak to him, would turn his face to the sun in the window. And then, they started to tell me that his condition improved when they proned him,

[00:15:00]

and proning means turning him on his stomach, and all the numbers on the machines would be better if they proned him.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay, and did they tell you any disadvantage to proning?

Martha Voth

No.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay. And so if he was lying on his back, as I understand what you’re telling us, he would have less strong vital signs than when he was lying on his stomach, is that correct?

Martha Voth

That was my understanding because when they did prone him, his stats, his numbers, always were better on the machines.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay, thank you. And then these calls went on through to June the 7th or June the 8th. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then, on June the 8th, you got a call from the Health Sciences Centre.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And what were you told then?

Martha Voth

They said that all the ports and the needles that were in his body, for all the medications and things, were badly infected, and now they were dealing with a new infection in his blood that was causing his organs to shut down, and um. . . .

Alexander MacKenzie

And what were they going to do to try to resolve that?

Martha Voth

They were going to try and find new places for all the ports and needles. And they said they would have to work on it all day, and he was in a very bad place.

Alexander MacKenzie

I see. And then on June the 10th, you were called again from the Health Sciences Centre.

Martha Voth

Yes, they wanted us to come in so that we could agree with them to put him in comfort care.

Alexander MacKenzie

And what did you understand that the words “comfort care” meant?

Martha Voth

Kind of in palliative care where they don’t actively work anymore to get him better.

Alexander MacKenzie

Okay, thank you. So I understand that on June the 10th then you, two daughters, you have three daughters, two of your daughters and your son attended the Health Sciences Centre, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And your other daughter attended by video, did she?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

Were you masked when you attended?

Martha Voth

No.

Alexander MacKenzie

I understand you saw some sign on the door, on the 10th when you attended?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And by the door, I mean the door to the room in which Alvin was?

Martha Voth

Yes, it said COVID recovered.

Alexander MacKenzie

COVID recovered?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

In terms of Alvin’s condition, how do you square the sign COVID recovered on the one hand and the fact that he’s getting worse on the other hand?

Martha Voth

Well, it was the infection that you can get only in ICUs,

Alexander MacKenzie

It was the infection—

Martha Voth

like a sepsis.

Alexander MacKenzie

It was the infections and sepsis

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

that was the problem for him, not COVID?

Martha Voth

Yes, not COVID.

Alexander MacKenzie

Was Alvin on his back or on his stomach?

Martha Voth

He was on his back, and we were there for a few hours, two or three hours before we actually had the meeting with the doctor and some of the nursing staff, the chaplain.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so you had been in Alvin’s room,

Martha Voth

Yes, a couple of hours.

Alexander MacKenzie

and you were sitting with him for a time with your children.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then you went to another room, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Right.

Alexander MacKenzie

And who was in that other room?

Martha Voth

It was the doctor, together with the head nurse and some of the nursing staff and a chaplain.

Alexander MacKenzie

And in those discussions, did the issue of comfort care come up again?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And how did that come up?

Martha Voth

He told us how bad the situation was and that his organs were failing and their suggestion was that he should be put in comfort care. And so I said, “It’s too bad that you cannot give him that drug, ivermectin.” And he said, “No, we don’t use that here.” And then I said, “Well, could you prone him and would his numbers be better then? “ And he said—

Alexander MacKenzie

And so, you asked for him to be proned?

Martha Voth

Yes. Yes, and he said, “Yes, it has improved when we do prone him, but he could have a massive heart attack, and then it’d be over.”

[00:20:00]

And I said, “But he has a good, strong heart.” And he said, “Yes, he does.”

Alexander MacKenzie

So on the one hand, they’re saying that he is not going to survive for more than a few hours, yet they are afraid to give him the ivermectin because it might hurt him and they’re afraid to prone him because it might hurt him. Is that what I understand from you?

Martha Voth

Yeah.

Alexander MacKenzie

Thank you. It’s hard for me to understand that. In any event, they did prone him, did they?

Martha Voth

Yes. We were left alone in that waiting room to discuss whether we wanted him proned or put on comfort care, and it was a no-brainer. We wanted him proned because we still believed in a miracle. So we went back to the nurses’ station and the same people that were in that waiting room were around the nurses’ station, and we told them we had decided we wanted him proned. And they said, okay, they had to get a few people out there to help with that.

So then I asked the doctor, “You know and I know it’s scientifically and medically proven that when a baby is born and doesn’t have any human touch that the baby dies.” He said, “Yeah, that’s true.” And I said, “Don’t you think that if we spent time in his room touching him, talking to him, and that we were there physically instead of video calls that he would improve”? And he said, “Yes, I believe that.” But he said, “I can’t make that decision.” And he turned his head and looked at the head nurse and said, “Can we make that happen”? And she said, “No, it’s not our protocol.”

Alexander MacKenzie

And by this time had Alvin been proned?

Martha Voth

No, that was just before.

Alexander MacKenzie

Just before he was proned?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

So you had asked to be able to stay at Alvin’s bedside and—

Martha Voth

Well, we just thought we were there, so we thought we may as well just stay

Alexander MacKenzie

Right.

Martha Voth

as long as we possibly could.

Alexander MacKenzie

To talk to him.

Martha Voth

Yeah.

Alexander MacKenzie

To sing to him in person.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

To hold his hand.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

To do those things in the hopes that it might revive him.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And you were told—

Martha Voth

Well, after they proned him, then the nurse said, “Well, now you can’t be in his room anymore because now his numbers are better.”

Alexander MacKenzie

So you could— Just so that I believe I understand every word you say. So long as he was on the edge of death and going to die, you could stay for comfort care?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

But the moment it looked like he might live, you had to go?

Martha Voth

Yes, and then the nurse did say, “Well, I will allow you to stay one more hour, but then you have to leave.”

Alexander MacKenzie

I believe you recalled to me some specific words that were spoken to you when you asked if staying there might help and the doctor asked the nurse if that would be possible, and the doctor was told— What were those words?

Martha Voth

“No, it’s not our protocol.”

Alexander MacKenzie

And so you left with your children and went home?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

I understand that on June the 11th, you continued your video calls.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And they continued right through to June the 24th.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And each day you and some of your family would sing and talk to your husband, Alvin?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And that each morning and each evening you would call and get updated information from the Health Sciences Centre.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

Now, on June the 22nd, you received a call from the Health Sciences Centre.

Martha Voth

From the doctor.

Alexander MacKenzie

And that was doctor—

Martha Voth

Clare Ramsey.

Alexander MacKenzie

Dr. Clare Ramsey. And what were you told?

Martha Voth

She said, “He didn’t have very long, that he was in really, really bad condition. All his organs had shut down by that time because of the massive infection that was running through him.” And I asked her if his condition was strictly due to him being in their ICU, and she said,

[00:25:00]

“Yes, you only get this infection in the ICU,” and that’s what was killing him.

Alexander MacKenzie

Now, on June 25th then, you received yet another call from the hospital. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes, they said he wouldn’t make it the day.

Alexander MacKenzie

He would not survive for the day? He would not make it, he would die that day?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And you were told you would be allowed to come in again. Is that correct?

Martha Voth

They asked us to come in, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so what did you do?

Martha Voth

The girls and I went in. Our son was doing concrete and he was in the middle of a pour, and it is sensitive work, so he couldn’t leave. He was trying to get somebody to do his job, but he couldn’t find anybody, so he had to wait until the concrete set. So we went in; the girls and I went in. We got there shortly after lunch.

Alexander MacKenzie

That is, you and your three daughters, yes?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And again, your son could not attend, not because he didn’t want to, but because he was in the middle of pouring concrete.

Martha Voth

Right. He was trying hard to get there. And we were there all afternoon, and the nurse kept coming in to ask when the son was going to be there because she said he’s going to die any minute. But I mean, the machines were still all on him, so—

Alexander MacKenzie

What did she tell you about keeping the machines on?

Martha Voth

She said, “You’re not doing him any favours by keeping him on these machines. In fact, it’s worse for him to be on all these machines.”

Alexander MacKenzie

And you arrived about what time?

Martha Voth

About one o’clock in the afternoon, somewhere in there.

Alexander MacKenzie

And I understand that your son did finally arrive at around seven?

Martha Voth

He finally came at seven, yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And I understand also that then you and your family were allowed to sit with your husband?

Martha Voth

Yeah, we were there in his room all afternoon and then all evening. And at some point, the kids decided to go get some food.

Alexander MacKenzie

And you had one of your children, you have three daughters,

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

One of your daughter’s name is Rebecca, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And you were about to say that your children decided to get up and go have a bite to eat while you were going to remain with Alvin.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And what happened then?

Martha Voth

As they were walking, Rebecca, who is our youngest, she was pregnant. But she started bleeding and she had a miscarriage because of the stress of that day.

Alexander MacKenzie

And I understand that you did stay with your other children. Rebecca went home and that she, nonetheless, stayed for much of the time on the phone and you made a phone connection so that she would be there too.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

Now, that went on until past midnight on the 25th, is that correct?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then tell us what happened then.

Martha Voth

Well, we went back and forth trying to decide: should we keep the machines on and wait for a miracle or take them off and wait for a miracle? So we went back and forth all that time to try and decide what to do. Because of course you want him to live, right?

Alexander MacKenzie

But you also hoped for a miracle?

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so, sometimes different of your family would think, “time to take him off,” and other times people would change their minds,

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

and ultimately though, you made a decision.

Martha Voth

We made a decision after midnight to take him off all the machines.

Alexander MacKenzie

And so I’m presuming you called on the medical staff.

Martha Voth

Yes.

Alexander MacKenzie

And just tell us about what happened then.

Martha Voth

Well, they had promised us that when they would take all the machines off, they would take the hose out of his mouth so that he would look normal right at the end. And when they did come in to do that, they said, no, they would leave part of that hose in his mouth because there could still be a particle of COVID in his lung. And then, we would be at risk. My kids and I would be at risk. And if they took it all out and we were in the room, then they would have to fumigate the room and that would take at least half an hour and he would be gone before that time.

Alexander MacKenzie

So they were still worried about COVID and you getting COVID and that was foremost in their mind in terms of—

Martha Voth

So they said, “Well, unless you had the N95 masks,” we couldn’t stay in there. And we said, “Okay, we’ll wear those masks.” Well, they didn’t fit right; they wouldn’t fit right on our faces. And so we said,

[00:30:00]

well, they had promised that we could stay and we were going to stay and they had to take that hose out. So the nurses walked out and discussed it and came back in and said, okay if we took the N95 masks, we could stay in the room, so that’s what we did.

Alexander MacKenzie

And then they proceeded to—

Martha Voth

They proceeded to take all the machines off, unplug everything, and whatever air was in his lungs from the ventilator just puffed out in three puffs, and then seven minutes later his heart had stopped.

Alexander MacKenzie

I feel almost foolish asking this question, but I’ve been asked to ask it. What do you think should have been done differently?

Martha Voth

Well, he did have pneumonia from the COVID and a blood clot. And in my opinion, if they could have just treated that, which they did, and they later on admitted that wasn’t even a big deal, the pneumonia or the blood clot. But if they could have just kept him on the mask instead of the ventilator, things in my opinion, would have turned out different.

Alexander MacKenzie

Thank you, Martha. I’m going to just have the commissioners ask you any questions they might wish to ask. It appears that there are no questions. Thank you very, very much.

Martha Voth

Thank you.

[00:31:52]

Final Review and Approval: Margaret Phillips, August 10, 2023.   

The evidence offered in this transcript is a true and faithful record of witness testimony given during the National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) hearings. The transcript was prepared by members of a team of volunteers using an “intelligent verbatim” transcription method.

For further information on the transcription process, method, and team, see the NCI website: https://nationalcitizensinquiry.ca/about-these-transcripts

Summary

Mrs. Martha Voth’s husband Alvin developed breathing problems after contracting COVID in May of 2021. He had pneumonia and a blood clot and was subsequently admitted to the hospital. He was doing well on face mask oxygen, but despite this improvement, the hospital doctor chose to ventilate him. He was transferred hospitals and regressed and was in a drug induced coma. Mrs. Voth asked to have Ivermectin administered, but was rejected. She requested to be able to see her husband in person, but was rejected due to “protocols”.

He eventually recovered from COVID, but developed a sepsis infection from the ports in his body that were used for injection of medications and fluids. She was called in to the hospital (and only allowed to be in the same room as him if he was dying). They recommended palliative care, but she asked that he be put in a prone position (on his stomach, as this was evidently helpful in the past) and he was. His vitals began to immediately improve, but as a result, the hospital protocols then dictated that Martha could not be at her husband’s side as he was no longer dying.

Weeks later her husband was still in a coma, and the doctor admitted that her husband’s infection (that was “killing him”) was solely due to being in the ICU. She was called in again, so attended the hospital with her daughters, to say “goodbye” as apparently the doctors thought he wouldn’t last the day. One daughter ended up having a miscarriage while at the hospital visiting her father. They had to decide that whether or not to unplug him from the machines or not – so they opted to. The hospital staff made them all wear N95 masks in the event that the removal of the ventilation tube still had a small viral particle of COVID and they could catch the virus and they’d have to fumigate the room. They did so. Alvin died that evening.