The sole survivor of a deadly family lunch in Australia that killed three people has spoken out after spending two months in hospital recovering.
Seventy-year-old Pastor Ian Wilkinson was left fighting for life after eating a beef and mushroom pie at Erin Patterson’s house in the rural Victoria town of Leongatha on July 29 last year.
Ian revealed it had been a “big week” during a sermon delivered to the Korumburra Baptist Church in Victoria on Sunday.
It comes after homicide detectives arrested and charged Patterson with murder in what they described as "the next step" in their investigation.
Don and Gail Patterson, Erin's former parents-in-law, and Heather Wilkinson became sick and later died after attending a lunch allegedly cooked by Erin.
Ian was the only one of the dinner guests who made it out alive.
Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. The murder charges and two attempted murder charges relate to the fatal meal on July 29. The further three attempted murder charges relate to three separate incidents in Victoria between 2021 and 2022.
Police believe the alleged poisoning was caused by death cap mushrooms which were used in the pie.
“At the start of the week it was six months since Heather and Gail and Don went to be with the Lord,” Ian said.
“Friday was my birthday and yesterday was our 45th wedding anniversary.”
He admitted it’s been “a pretty big week”, but said he was grateful for “all that God has given me”.
“The ways are sometimes hard but God is good. He’s with us,” he said.
“He promised to never leave, and I can say that is true.”
Patterson remains in prison where she awaits her next court appearance in May.
