Nurse Jacintha Saldanha's Husband Pens Letter of Grief
The husband of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who answered a prank call about the Duchess of Cambridge's condition, has publicly addressed the incident on Monday.
Saldanha was Central London's King Edward VII nurse who answered a prank call from an Australian radio station last week. Two DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles as they inquired about Kate Middleton's condition.
The call resulted in Saldanha divulging information about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, who was checked into the hospital for acute morning sickness.
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Following the incident, Saldanha was found dead in her apartment.
Ben Barboza posted a letter of grievance over Saldanha to his Facebook page on Monday.
"I am devastated with the tragic loss of my beloved wife Jacintha in tragic circumstances, She will be laid to rest in Shirva, India," wrote the bereaved husband.
Saldanha's brother Naveen also spoke about her death, explaining that his sister was likely "devastated" over having publicly betrayed the privacy of the Duchess of Cambridge.
"She would have felt much shame about the incident … [She] was a proper and righteous person," Naveen told Daily Mail.
The 48-year-old mother of two is being mourned at her former place of work as well. King Edward VII's Hospital announced the launch of a memorial fund in Saldanha's honor on Monday, with all donations going to her family.
"Jacintha Saldanha was an outstanding nurse whose loss has shocked and saddened everyone at the hospital," Lord Glenarthur, the hospital chairman, said in a statement.
"Following discussions with her family, we have now established the Jacintha Saldanha Memorial Fund in her memory," he added.
Donations may be sent to:
Finance, King Edward VII's Hospital
10 Beaumont Street
London, W1G 6AA, U.K.
News of Saldanha's death even reached the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who released a statement saying that they were "deeply saddened to learn of the death," according to St. James Palace.
Meanwhile, the two Australian DJs behind the prank phone call have apologized and expressed deep regret over their actions.
"It was the worst phone call I've ever had in my life," said Greig during an interview with an Australian TV station. "There's not a minute that goes by that we don't think about her family and what they must be going through. And the thought that we may have played a part in that is gut-wrenching."
Greig and Christian "will not return to the airwaves until further notice," according to a statement from the Southern Cross Austereo network.
