Annabel Croft, the former Wimbledon tennis star, has described being 'haunted' by a nurse she claims was 'cruel' and 'mocking' during the final hours of her husband Mel Coleman's life. Coleman died from colon cancer in May 2023 at age 60, just 16 weeks after his diagnosis.
Croft's Harrowing Account
In an interview with MailOnline, Croft broke down in tears recalling how the nurse appeared to take pleasure in telling her husband he was dying. 'I've asked myself, since, if she was a psychopath,' Croft said. 'It felt like it because she seemed to take pleasure in telling Mel he was dying.'
Croft, 59, said she asked the nurse to speak privately first to spare her husband the blunt news, but the nurse refused, stating: 'No, he is the patient. He has to hear that he is dying.' When Croft's son Charlie asked if his father had months or weeks left, the nurse allegedly laughed and said: 'Huh! Almost laughing, mocking our son. No - hours.'
Dispute Over Resuscitation
The situation escalated when the nurse informed the family that if Coleman had a heart attack, he would not be resuscitated. Croft revealed that her husband had explicitly stated he did not want a do-not-resuscitate order. 'This nurse said: 'Listen to me. He's got cancer. We are not resuscitating him.' Like she was enjoying it,' Croft said. 'I'm haunted by that. So many nights it has kept me awake, remembering the tone of her voice. It was cruel.'
Impact on the Family
Croft acknowledged that most nurses caring for her husband were 'angels,' but this particular encounter left a lasting scar. The loss came suddenly for the family, as Coleman, a former round-the-world yachtsman, had been healthy before his diagnosis. Croft and her children Amber, Charlie, and Lily were at his bedside during his final moments.
Coverage of Wimbledon 2026, where Croft is a regular commentator, resumes on BBC One today at 2pm.
