Linda Lusardi's children needed therapy after her traumatic COVID battle

Linda Lusardi has revealed her children were left needing therapy after witnessing her near-fatal COVID battle.

The former glamour model, 62, and her husband Sam Kane, 52, were both hospitalised with coronavirus, but Lusardi has said doctors told her family they were unable to guarantee she would survive when she was admitted last March.

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She told the Daily Mail: "My kids have had therapy (due to) the trauma of nearly losing both of us. Then we lost our dog. It’s a year you want to zip up in a suitcase and throw over the hill."

Lucy, 25, and Jack, 22, also saw Kane develop pneumonia from COVID and Lusardi said her husband had been badly affected by what had happened to her, too.

She said: "I think my husband Sam should have some (therapy) because he still gets flashbacks about me not coming home and the fear and trauma he went through thinking I wouldn’t make it. Both Lucy and Jack had a short patch of therapy. They’re absolutely brilliant now."

Her hospital treatment included being given oxygen and facing the prospect of being intubated.

Admitting she hadn't realised just how ill she was, Lusardi said she had considered therapy herself, but decided against it because she thought the experience had been worse for her loved ones.

Talking about the lasting effects of COVID, Lusardi said that she had suffered hair loss and also suspected that she may have some liver damage because she was finding it difficult to deal with drinking alcohol.

Saying that she felt ill and as if she had a hangover straight after drinking, Lusardi revealed that she had been forced to give up her favourite tipples of prosecco and gin and tonic.

The former Emmerdale star added: "It’s lucky my party days are over. I would have been desperate in my twenties."

At New Year, Lusardi acknowledged her difficult year by posting a happy family photo with Kane, Jack and Lucy on Instagram.

She captioned it: "So happy to see the new year in with my family. Glad I’m here to see 2021."

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