Doctor Treating Pope Considered Ending Treatment So He Could Die/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pope Francis’ doctors considered stopping care after a critical breathing emergency on February 28. Instead, they opted for an aggressive treatment that risked organ failure, ultimately saving his life. The pope, now in recovery, continues a cautious return to his duties.
Pope Francis Health Crisis Quick Looks
- Francis faced life-threatening bronchospasm on February 28.
- Doctors debated halting treatment due to high risk of organ failure.
- Ultimately, aggressive therapies were chosen and succeeded.
- Medical team feared he “might not survive the night.”
- Personal nurse urged team: “Try everything. Don’t give up.”
- Doctors used aspiration and mucus-clearing procedures.
- A second respiratory crisis occurred just three days later.
- Pope remained conscious, alert, and cooperative throughout.
- Francis left hospital March 23 after 38-day stay.
- He is now under two-month recovery, with limited public duties.
Doctor Treating Pope Considered Ending Treatment So He Could Die
Deep Look
Pope Francis came closer to death in late February than the public realized, his lead physician revealed Tuesday. After suffering a sudden and severe breathing crisis on February 28, the medical team treating the 88-year-old pontiff at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital seriously considered stopping care and allowing him to pass peacefully.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who led the treatment, told Italian daily Corriere della Sera that the pope experienced a violent bronchospasm in which he aspirated vomit, threatening multiple organ systems.
“We had to choose whether to stop and let him go, or push forward with every available treatment—despite a high risk of damaging other organs,” Alfieri said. “We chose to go forward.”
The decision to proceed with treatment was also influenced by Francis’ longtime health aide, Massimiliano Strappetti, who urged the doctors not to give up.
“He knows the pope’s wishes perfectly,” Alfieri explained. “He told us: ‘Try everything.’”
Francis reportedly remained fully alert and aware during the crisis, though the prognosis at one point was bleak. “He might not survive the night,” Alfieri said.
Doctors treated the pontiff with a non-invasive aspiration to clear his airways, followed by an intensive regimen of drugs. Though there was concern about potential damage to his kidneys and bone marrow, the treatment ultimately worked. His condition improved, and his lung infection began to resolve.
Just three days later, the pope experienced a second pair of acute respiratory episodes. In this instance, doctors used a specialized tube to remove accumulated mucus from his lungs, again staving off the worst.
Throughout the ordeal, the Vatican kept the public informed with unprecedented transparency. Alfieri confirmed that Pope Francis insisted on honesty, instructing his team to fully brief the public through official bulletins.
“He wanted the truth about his condition to be shared. Nothing was hidden or omitted,” Alfieri said.
Francis was discharged from Gemelli Hospital on March 23 after 38 days—the longest hospitalization of his papacy. He appeared frail but resolute as he greeted well-wishers from a hospital balcony, thanking them for their prayers.
The Vatican has since confirmed that Francis is undergoing a strict two-month recovery period, including respiratory and physical therapy. Doctors have recommended 24-hour medical supervision and oxygen support during his convalescence at his residence in Casa Santa Marta.
It remains uncertain whether the pope will participate in upcoming events such as King Charles III’s state visit to the Vatican or Holy Week celebrations. Francis has not publicly led the Angelus prayer in seven weeks but has continued to offer reflections online, including a recent call for global peace.
In a message on social media Sunday, he thanked those who had prayed for his recovery. “Let us pray together for peace,” he wrote, listing Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Science backs it up—prayer can have real effects,” he said. “And in this case, the whole world was praying. Twice we thought we had lost him, and then it happened like a miracle.”
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