Deborah Knight slams Covid deniers after mother-in-law’s death: ‘Appalling’

Deborah Knight has blasted “cruel” and “heartless” Covid conspiracy theorists who have trolled her following the passing of her mother-in-law and claimed that her death was a hoax.

The former Today co-host announced on Monday that her husband Lindsay’s 88-year-old mum, Connie Dunbar, had died after contracting Covid amid an outbreak in her Canberra retirement community.

Shortly after sharing news of her family’s heartbreaking tragedy, Deborah took to Twitter to call out the trolls who had expressed doubts.

“My husband has lost his dear Mum to Covid and some cruel heartless people are questioning if it’s a hoax or if she even had the virus as she was double vaccinated. Appalling,” she wrote online.

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The social media post comes after she spoke on her 2GB radio show, Afternoons with Deborah Knight, about the details of her mother-in-law’s passing.

“She didn’t have any real symptoms, she didn’t have a temperature, she didn’t have trouble breathing but she just was asleep the entire time and couldn’t wake up and couldn’t beat it and she will be sadly, sadly missed,” she revealed.

“Behind every single death and every single number is a grieving family, much-loved people and their families miss them dearly,” she continued.

“Covid is cruel and for anyone doubting how cruel it is or even questioning whether Covid’s real, I can tell you it is all-too-real.”

The A Current Affair presenter went on to plead with her listeners to get vaccinated to help save both their own lives and the lives of others.

“If you’re still hedging on getting vaccinated, that very simple act with plenty of vaccine options, plenty of availability, it can stop more families like mine from grieving and mourning the loss of a much-loved family member like Connie Dunbar,” she said.

“So if not for yourself, do it for others. So my thoughts today are very much with Connie, and all of those many people who did love her, and the many lives she touched in her 88 years.”

A number of Deborah’s colleagues and fellow journalists have since replied to her tweet, sending their condolences and well wishes.

“That your sadness could be so cruelly exacerbated is incomprehensible,” ABC Landline’s Pip Courtney wrote, followed by 3AW Afternoons host Dee Dee Dunleavy with, “Please ignore the ugliness, it has no place in your life.”

“Really sorry to hear it, Deb. Thoughts are with you and the family,” 9News’ Chris Kohler wrote, while ABC News Breakfast’s Michael Rowland shared: “That’s just awful, Deb. Some people… My condolences to Lindsay, and all of you.”

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