Emma Watkins has wished Greg Page ‘a speedy recovery’ after the original Yellow Wiggle suffered a cardiac arrest at a bushfire relief concert in Sydney on Friday.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Emma, who is the present Yellow Wiggle, shared a recent photo with Page alongside a heartfelt caption.
‘We are thinking of you so much, sending love and healing,’ the 30-year-old wrote.
‘Sending love and healing’: Emma Watkins (right), 30, wished Greg Page (left) ‘a speedy recovery’ on Saturday, after the original Yellow Wiggle suffered cardiac arrest on stage at a bushfire relief concert in Sydney on Friday
‘Everyone adores you and wishes you a speedy recovery,’ Emma continued.
‘We love you and we will be performing tonight to help raise funds for victims of the tragic bushfires.’
Emma accompanied the caption with what appeared to be a current day photo of herself and Greg.
She will be filling in for Greg at The Wiggles’ second bushfire relief concert at Sydney’s Castle Hill RSL tonight, Saturday January 18.
Original Yellow Wiggle Greg, 48, suffers from a crippling nervous system disorder that caused him to collapse during a reunion concert for bushfire relief on Friday.
Ordeal: Greg, 48, suffers from a crippling nervous system disorder that caused him to collapse during a reunion concert at Castle Hill RSL. He is pictured far right
Greg suffered cardiac arrest due to orthostatic intolerance at the concert at Castle Hill RSL in Sydney.
Orthostatic intolerance translates to ‘upright intolerance’, meaning that whenever Greg stands up for a prolonged period of time, he risks his life.
People with orthostatic intolerance have a nervous system that struggles to pump enough blood around the body, which prompted Greg’s cardiac arrest.
The original Wiggles lineup were moments away from performing their final song, Hot Potato, when Greg suddenly collapsed.
Brave: Greg is pictured in hospital where he is recovering from the cardiac arrest
Since Greg was standing upright for a long period of time, 750ml of blood flowed away from his head and down to his legs, putting immense pressure on his heart.
At the concert on Friday, shocked revellers were left stunned as the show was suddenly stopped, with paramedics rushing to Greg’s side to perform CPR.
A while later, the rest of the band returned and told the 800-strong crowd their singer ‘needed medical attention’.
Greg is now at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital in a ‘serious but stable condition’ after the near-death experience.
Recovering: On Saturday, it was reported that Greg woke up in hospital and insisted ‘the show should go on’
On Saturday, it was reported that Greg woke up in hospital and insisted ‘the show should go on’.
The Wiggles’ manager Paul Field spoke to media outside Westmead Hospital on Saturday morning after Greg underwent a life-saving medical procedure.
‘He was in such a serious way last night, he needed CPR… we had two of our cast and crew working on him, they used the defibrillator on him three times – he was in a bad way,’ Paul told 7 News.
‘A nurse from the audience came up and kind of took charge, but two of our cast – Steve the drummer and Kim who works in our office – did CPR on him. They saved his life. Seriously.
The show must go on: The Wiggles said Greg’s main concern was that the bushfire relief concert went on without him. The group will perform a second show on Saturday January 18
‘He stopped breathing a number of times. It was quite dramatic for everyone around to witness it. We’re all a bit shocked.’
Greg’s life-threatening condition is what forced him to initially quit The Wiggles in November, 2006 after withdrawing from the group’s US tour that year.
He was also wrongly told he had ‘seven years to live’ by a doctor.
‘To be feeling the way you feel – tired, lethargic, heavy-chested, light-headed and just vague, and to be missing your mouth when you go to eat things – that was a pretty raw moment,’ Greg said of his condition to The Sydney Morning Herald in 2008.
The Wiggles will perform their second bushfire relief concert, with Emma as the Yellow Wiggle, tonight, Saturday January 18, at Castle Hill RSL in Sydney.
Condition: The frightening circulatory condition caused Greg (pictured back, centre) to leave The Wiggles back in 2006. Pictured in June that year