Kerri-Anne Kennerley admits she’s ‘angry’ over late husband John’s death

Australian TV legend Kerri-Anne Kennerley has spoken candidly about her late husband John’s death, admitting she feels ‘angry’ and ‘cheated.’

The 66-year-old lost John in February, after he became a quadriplegic after a fall at a Coffs Harbour golf course in March 2016, aged 75. 

Speaking to The Australian Women’s Weekly, Kerri-Anne also revealed the heartbreaking words John asked her while he was in hospital and fighting for his life. 

‘I feel cheated, not just for myself and my loss but also for John and the life that he should have continued to live,’ Kerri-Anne told the publication. 

Kerri-Anne said that John’s father lived to be 100 years old, so she always thought John would have a long life. 

‘So anger, as a word, doesn’t even begin to cover what I feel,’ she said. 

Emotional: ‘I feel cheated, not just for myself and my loss but also for John and the life that he should have continued to live,’ Kerri-Anne told The Australian Women’s Weekly

The media veteran also revealed what John asked her as he battled to recover in hospital following surgery.

The operation was to help him breathe properly.

She said: ‘I watched as he slowly mouthed the words, ”how hard do you want me to try?” 

Kerri-Anne said it was ‘difficult’ for her to hear the words and that she still gets upset and cries when she thinks about the moment. 

‘How hard do you want me to try?’ The media veteran also revealed what John asked her as he battled to recover in hospital following surgery

It comes after she told The Sunday Telegraph in June that after his accident in 2016, John asked her if he was paraplegic. 

‘The first thing John asked me was, “am I paraplegic?” Kerri-Anne said. 

‘I couldn’t say to him at the time: You’re not that lucky.’

Kerri-Anne became John’s primary carer before his death, after he used the alphabet to communicate after being left unable to speak.  

Tough: Kerri-Anne became John’s primary carer before his death, after he used the alphabet to communicate after being left unable to speak

The accident left Kerri-Anne with an overwhelming need to ensure others would not suffer the same fate as her husband.

After attending the opening of the prestigious Concord Golf Course late last year, she approached New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, demanding more funding for spinal injury research. 

Kerri-Anne told the publication that no-one can understand what it is like to live with such a severe disability.

‘John was C3 and C4, which was the neck down, so he could not feed himself, he could not put a fork in his mouth. He couldn’t use the remote button. He couldn’t turn a page.’

Determined: The accident left Kerri-Anne with an overwhelming need to ensure others would not suffer the same fate as her husband. She approached New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, demanding more funding for spinal injury research 

Her conversation with Premier Berejiklian sparked a series of meetings with research group Spinal-Cure Australia, in the Premier’s office in Sydney.

Her persistence lead to the announcement in June that $15million would be dedicated to spinal research as part of the new State Budget.

In August meanwhile, Kerri-Anne slammed the National Disability Insurance Scheme for discrimination against elderly paralysis victims after her late husband was denied the best care after his fall. 

They have taken this magic red line and put it under the age of 65, which eliminates anyone over the age of 64 and nine months,’ Ms Kennerley told The Sunday Telegraph.

‘I think the government should be sued on this because it is not an age-related injury. They need to put up a test case and literally sue them for age discrimination.’

Not mincing her words: In August meanwhile, Kerri-Anne slammed the National Disability Insurance Scheme for discrimination against elderly paralysis victims after her late husband was denied the best care after his fall

Read more: The latest edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly is out now