How Pope Francis' personal nurse helped save his life

Pope Francis has faced numerous health challenges in recent years, but his latest battle with double pneumonia brought him dangerously close to death.

The head of his medical team revealed that the 88-year-old pontiff’s condition worsened so severely that doctors even considered stopping treatment, believing it was best to let him pass peacefully.

However, his personal nurse refused to give up. Thanks to his intervention, the Pope defied the odds and made a recovery that many believed was impossible.

Here’s what happened.

Five words that helped save the Pope’s life

Pope Francis’ recent health scare was one of the most severe since he took office in 2013. The 88-year-old pontiff spent 38 days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital battling a prolonged respiratory illness—his longest hospital stay as pope.

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The most critical moment came on February 28, when Francis suffered a bronchospasm attack and accidentally inhaled his own vomit, leaving him struggling to breathe.

“There was a real risk he might not make it,” lead surgeon Professor Sergio Alfieri told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Doctors faced a difficult decision—whether to stop treatment and allow the Pope to pass peacefully or continue aggressive interventions, which carried the risk of organ damage.

At this turning point, Pope Francis’ personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, made a decisive call. “Try everything; don’t give up,” he urged. Those five words spurred the medical team into action, leading them to persist with intensive care.

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“For days, we were risking damage to his kidneys and bone marrow, but we went ahead, and his body responded to the drugs and his lung infection lessened,” Dr Alfieri recalled.

Also read: Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs. How serious is his condition?

Who is Massimiliano Strappetti?

Massimiliano Strappetti, a veteran Vatican nurse, has played a crucial role in managing Pope Francis’ health since 2022, when the pontiff appointed him as his personal health care assistant after recovering from an illness.

“A nurse, a man with a lot of experience, saved my life,” Pope Francis told Spanish COPE radio after undergoing colon surgery.

Strappetti had already been advising the Pope before his official appointment. In February 2021, when Francis experienced his first flare-up of diverticulitis, Strappetti urged him to undergo medical tests, La Repubblica reported. Along with the Pope’s other doctors, he recommended surgery to prevent the condition from worsening.

Since then, Strappetti has remained a constant presence by the Pope’s side, even accompanying him on international trips. During the Pope’s visit to Canada, he was there as the pontiff made public appearances in a wheelchair.

Now in his 50s, Strappetti has been part of the Vatican’s medical system since 2002. Before that, he spent eight years working in the intensive care unit at Gemelli Hospital, the same facility where Pope Francis has been treated multiple times. He later took on the role of coordinator for Vatican nurses and played an active role in a medical charity supporting the homeless, as per the Catholic news agency.

What’s next for Pope Francis?

Nearly five weeks after his life-threatening battle with double pneumonia, Pope Francis was finally discharged from the hospital. His first public appearance in weeks was met with relief and joy as he waved to the crowd and gave a thumbs-up from a balcony.

Dr Alfieri described that moment as deeply moving. “I saw him leave the room on the 10th floor of the Gemelli dressed in white. It was the emotion of seeing the man become again the Pope,” he said.

Now back at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Francis continues his recovery with ongoing medical care, including physiotherapy for breathing and voice rehabilitation, along with 24-hour support from his health team.

Also read: Can Pope Francis resign due to ill health? Is there a precedent?

While he has slowly resumed his responsibilities—signing documents and dedicating time to prayer—his schedule remains restricted. His planned meeting with Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla, originally set for next month, has been postponed.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Tuesday that the trip was “postponed by mutual agreement, as medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation.”

Although he has not led the Angelus prayer for seven consecutive Sundays, Francis continues to offer weekly reflections.

“Let us pray together for peace, especially in martyred Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he wrote on X.

With input from agencies