In moments of severe illness, the decisions doctors make can mean the difference between life and death. For Pope Francis, now 88, that decision came on a night when the risk of organ failure was real—and the possibility of not surviving was openly acknowledged.
A life hanging in the balance
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the lead surgeon at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, revealed this week that Pope Francis was aware he might die during his recent hospitalization for bilateral pneumonia. The pontiff was admitted on February 14 and released 38 days later. The worst point came on February 28, when Francis experienced a severe bronchospasm that caused panic among those at his side.
“Everyone had tears in their eyes,” Alfieri told Corriere della Sera, recalling the emotional weight in the room. “We had to choose between stopping and letting him go, or trying everything—even if it meant risking damage to other organs.”
Francis, ever lucid and fully conscious, made his wishes clear: don’t give up. Alfieri said the final decision fell to the pope’s personal physician, Massimiliano Strappetti, who knew what the pontiff would want. As reported by 20minutos, Strappetti affirmed: “Try everything. Don’t stop.”
Two brushes with death
The February crisis wasn’t the only life-threatening moment. Later, while eating, the pope vomited and aspirated, risking sudden death and further damage to already weakened lungs. “It was terrible,” Alfieri said. “We really thought we were going to lose him.”
Throughout, Francis remained informed and conscious, even grabbing Alfieri’s hand at one point in silence, seeking comfort. “That night, he knew,” the doctor added.
Despite the harrowing experience, Alfieri said the pope maintained his humor and humanity. Once his health began to improve, Francis asked to be wheeled around the hospital ward and made efforts to connect with other patients. One evening, he even treated the hospital staff to pizza.
A cautious recovery ahead
Now back at his Vatican residence in Santa Marta, Francis faces a two-month recovery with precautions in place. Doctors have advised limited contact with crowds and young children due to risk of reinfection.
“He promised not to waste the effort we all made,” Alfieri said. “But he is the pope. We can’t dictate his behavior.”
Francis’s hospitalization has triggered both concern and admiration—concern for his fragile health, and admiration for his resilience, humor, and unwavering will to keep serving, even in the face of death.
