Steadman Court stair-fall victim Bernadette Bazzoni loses fight for life

Published: 29 October, 2010
by PETER GRUNER

A FINSBURY woman para-lysed in a fall down a flight of stairs at home has lost her 10-month battle for life.  

Bernadette Bazzoni, 51, a facilitator in the City, was found unconscious at the bottom of just 12 stairs inside her first-floor flat at Steadman Court on the Redbrick estate in January this year. She died at the Whittington hospital on Wednesday morning. 

A post-mortem examination is due to be held. 

Tragically she died as a campaign was launched to urge Islington council to rehouse her and husband Tony Bazzoni in a ground-floor flat on the estate more suitable for a wheelchair.

Bernadette was on her way to bed when she either passed out or slipped and fell heavily on her head. 

The grandmother, who has three grown up children, re-mained in an induced coma  for two and a half weeks at the Royal Neurological Hospital in Putney following the fall. After coming out of the coma Bernadette was in a  “semi-vegetative” state and could not talk or communicate. The family at her hospital bedside attempted to talk to her and play her favourite pop music, including Oasis and Take That, in an attempt to help her recovery.   

Speaking for the family her daughter Michelle  said they were all devastated by their loss. 

“We knew she was very seriously ill,” she added. “But we always hoped that mum would gradually pull through. She was a great wife, mother and grandmother and a wonderful friend to everyone who knew her. She will be greatly missed.” 

Last week the Tribune reported how dozens of family and friends turned out for a public meeting at the estate’s community centre to press for a ground-floor flat for the couple.