Thomas Markle, Meghan's father, has faced significant challenges in recent years, including surviving a stroke in the previous year. The Duchess of Sussex became estranged from him in May 2018 when he was caught staging paparazzi photos for financial gain just days before her wedding to Prince Harry. Unfortunately, Thomas was unable to attend the wedding due to hospitalization for heart problems, and communication between them has since ceased.
In May 2022, the family announced that Thomas had suffered another stroke, which affected his ability to speak, specifically impacting the speech production part of his brain. Coincidentally, this second stroke occurred during the arrival of Hurricane Hillary, which made landfall off Mexico's Pacific Coast. The hurricane brought torrential rains, heightened risk of mudslides, and even tornadoes in the region. While Hurricane Hillary initially gained strength, its sustained winds later decreased, though it retained hurricane status.
The hurricane skirted the sparsely populated area along the western edge of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico before making landfall between the cities of Ensenada and Playa de Rosarito, a beach community adjacent to Tijuana. Local authorities closely monitored the storm and worked to clear storm drains to mitigate potential damage.
Thomas Markle, currently residing in Rosarito, Baja California, had a stroke while relocating to temporary shelters during the hurricane. Fortunately, his son, Thomas Jr., who was nearby, came to his aid during this perilous situation. Photographer Carl Larson, who has been following Thomas's journey and even set up a YouTube channel about it, mentioned that Thomas's health has shown signs of improvement since the stroke.
Larson extended an invitation for Thomas to stay at his house during the hurricane, but Thomas opted to weather the storm on his own, expressing a remarkable lack of fear post-stroke. Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, noted that Thomas didn't anticipate the stroke and expressed gratitude that she contacted him promptly, as he was struggling with speech and needed immediate emergency care.
Before his health issues, Thomas Markle was an outspoken critic of Meghan and Harry, even vowing to give monthly interviews until his daughter reestablished contact with him. He has publicly apologized numerous times for his actions, but as of the latest reports, he has received no response from Meghan or Harry.
