Dead ? I'm feeling a bit better now

Declared dead by doctors, then rescued from the mortuary, Freddie Maguire has made such a strong recovery that he has been nicknamed Jesus Christ.

Mr Maguire, 47, from Dublin’s north inner city, was pronounced dead by doctors at the Mater Hospital after they fought for 30 minutes to save his life on Easter Day.

Mr Maguire, who has learning difficulties, was being treated for a separate condition when he suffered a heart attack. He was moved to the intensive care unit and treated by a team of medical staff, who pronounced him dead.

Mr Maguire’s relatives were coming to terms with their loss when they were informed that he was, in fact, alive. A member of staff saw his hand move as he was about to be put into a mortuary refrigerator.

Frances Maguire, his aunt, said: “He’s all right now and he’s back the way he was before this terrible thing took place.

“His recovery was very slow at first and he’s still on medication, but he’s back home living with his uncle and he visits me every night. The doctors all pronounced him dead. It’s disgraceful and very upsetting. I don’t think they should get away with it.” Friends and neighbours have dubbed Mr Maguire Jesus Christ because of his seemingly miraculous resurrection at Easter.

Mrs Maguire was in the Mater Hospital herself receiving medical attention when the incident occurred.

She said: “We’re a very close family. I was in the hospital at the time and I wanted to check myself out of there after it, but the family said it would be no good.”

According to the Evening Herald newspaper, Mr Maguire’s brothers travelled over from England immediately when told of his death and funeral arrangements were underway.

“My granddaughter came up to me that night when I was outside having a smoke and she said, ‘Freddie is alive’. I nearly choked,” Mrs Maguire said. “I didn’t believe her until I saw him with my own eyes. They were about to put him into an ice box. Imagine if they had. Thank God that nurse saw his hand moving. I tell you, when I die I want to be buried with a mobile phone. And they better make sure I’m dead.”

Mrs Maguire described her cousin as “a lovely person” and “a real hard grafter”.