Lys Assia, the first ever winner of Eurovision, is in hospital and in serious condition, according to official statements released on her Facebook page and Twitter account. The 89-year old “Grand Dame of Eurovision” was hospitalized in Zurich on Friday, under suspicion of pulmonary embolism, and placed on a ventilator.
Lys told the Swiss press on Sunday that she thought that she might die. Since then her condition has deteriorated even further and doctors have subsequently diagnosed her with severe pneumonia, which can be very dangerous in people of advanced age. She has been placed on artificial ventilation again. Her team announced that all her plans have been cancelled and that her presence at Eurovision next week as a guest of honour is now sadly out of the question.
A tweet that simply said #rip sent shockwaves among Eurovision fans on Tuesday evening, but was deleted after a few minutes. “The uncertainty is terrible,” Lys told a Swiss newspaper on Sunday — and we couldn’t agree more.
We wish Lys Assia a speedy recovery and hopefully a return to the Eurovision stage. She certainly proved this year that she still has what it takes. Get well soon, Lys!
