Page 13: Lindsay Fox’s wife Paula undergoes lifesaving heart surgery
Trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox celebrated his 83rd birthday by raising a glass via video chat with friends when his wife said she couldn’t breathe. Now two weeks later, Paula is recovering from lifesaving heart surgery.
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Lindsay Fox is breathing easier after wife Paula found herself short of breath and admitted for emergency heart surgery after the trucking tycoon’s 83rd virtual birthday party at their Portsea pile.
Broadway star Hugh Jackman was on the Zoom hook-up with Premier Daniel Andrews, former union boss bestie Bill Kelty and retail royalty in Solomon Lew. Eddie McGuire was emcee, of course.
A doctor friend was unable to join the virtual wellwishers on the night. It was later when the doctor joined Lindsay to raise a glass of single malt whisky for his birthday that he heard Paula Fox complaining of shortness of breath.
He urged her to go to the Epworth Hospital for a check-up.
That was two weeks ago and this week Paula was back home at the Fox mansion in Toorak after emergency heart surgery.
The wife of the trucking tycoon had two stents to push out life-threatening restrictions in the artery known in men as the “The Widowmaker.”
“You believe in the doctors after all of that,” Fox told Page 13. “Paula is okay. She is out and she is good.”
Lindsay and Paula Fox have been married for more than 60 years. The love story behind one of Melbourne’s most enduring marriages started when they were teenagers.
“She was 15, I was 16,” Fox said fondly this week when Page 13 asked how they met.
“We met at the old St Moritz ice skating rink in St Kilda.
“She was just terrific.”
Remembering those halcyon days when he watched the 15-year-old Paula pirouetting on the rink at St Moritz, Lindsay’s wicked humour crept back.
“I think she went after me. She’s a good judge,” he chuckled.
“But really, she is my one and only.”
Twelve months after that meeting, Lindsay Fox walked into the offices of trucking company E.V. Timms in Collingwood and convinced them to sell him his first truck.
The rest is history.
The long fence at the Fox home in Toorak is hung with blue ribbons in tribute to the four Victorian police officers who lost their lives after the horrific crash in Kew.
“They do such a great job,” Fox said of the force in blue.
Any thought that the self-described “up-market trucker” may follow in Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s footsteps in trying to resuscitate Virgin Australia was quickly dismissed.
“No, I tried that 20 years ago,” Fox said of his failed Ansett Australia bid with ol’ mate Solomon Lew.
“They will sort it out amongst themselves.”
For now the Foxes will self-isolate in Toorak as Paula recovers and is closer to medical attention.
Asked about his own health, Fox was upbeat.
“I’m always good,” he said.
“You must live life. You’ve got to keep on going.”
It’s not quite keep on truckin’ but we’ll take it.
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