Man Who Refused To Get Vaccinated Due To His Fear Of Needles Dies Of COVID-19

A 51-year-old man, who refused to get vaccinated because of his fear of needles, died from Covid-19 on Thursday, Jan. 6.

Stewart Gilray, a Scottish computer games developer and CEO of the development company Just Add Water, reportedly contracted the novel coronavirus in December and was hospitalized in critical condition on Dec. 20.

Gilray had not been vaccinated as he reportedly had a fear of needles and was too afraid to get the jab. After undergoing treatment for several weeks, Gilray succumbed to the virus and died on Thursday, Jan. 6, the Daily Mail reported.

Shortly before he was admitted to the hospital, Gilray, a father-of-two, from Aberdeen, described having COVID-19 as "horrendous" and said that he "didn't wish this on anyone."

After his sudden demise, Gilray's widow Bec Gilray has urged the public who are worried about getting vaccinated to overcome their fears and get the shot as soon as possible.

"Gilray had a serious fear of needles. In all seriousness, in 25 years he had one blood test," she said.

"He avoided trying to go to the doctor's in case they ever needed to draw blood, but the truth is Gilray wasn't poorly in the 25 years I knew him. He was fit. He could have lost a stone or two like the rest of us, but, he genuinely believed he was going to survive this virus because he was healthy," she said.

When Gilray was first admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, the virus reportedly seized upon a previously undiagnosed lung condition. Gilray subsequently lost his ability to breathe on his own. His condition rapidly declined and he was eventually put into an induced coma, the Mirror reported.

"Before he was intubated he said to me 'there's nothing to worry about. I'm going to be fine. I just need a little rest," Bec said.

Gilray reportedly graduated from the Aberdeen College of Commerce in the late 80s and then worked as a freelance games programmer for several big companies in the 90s such as Psygnosis ltd, Bullfrog, and Argonaut. He then moved to Didcot to work for publisher 21st Century Entertainment.

Gilray's friend and fellow developer John Romero posted on Twitter and expressed his disbelief regarding Gilray's sudden demise.

"It's hard to believe he's gone," he said.

"Stewart Gilray was a good friend and always there whenever anyone needed him, including me. He was one of the good ones. I'm grateful for our friendship and thinking of his wife Bec, kids and many friends he's left behind," Romero said.

Gilray leaves behind his son Elliot, 15, and his three-year-old daughter Darcey.