The life story of Alex Lewis is like no other. This man refused to give up on his life no matter what it took, and today, he’s thriving with the help of his loving wife Lucy Townsend, and their son.
Alex and Lucy always knew they were meant for each other. When they married and welcomed their son Sam into their life, they felt like the happiest couple on Earth. But then in 2013, around the time Sam turned two, this family’s life took a different turn.
Both Alex and Sam caught the flu, or at least they believed so. However, as the boy got better in a short period of time, Alex wasn’t feeling fine even days after he experienced the flu-like symptoms.
“Because we owned and lived in a pub and came into contact with lots of different people, I assumed it was a seasonal cold and thought it started off as man flu,” Alex told Metro.
Instead of improving, his condition worsened and he became feverish and noticed blood in his urine.
As he could feel something was very wrong, he went to the hospital where doctors told him he contracted a streptococcal infection (type A). Unfortunately, at that point, the infection penetrated deep into the tissue and the organs and caused sepsis. Alex had contracted shock syndrome, septicemia, and necrotizing fascitis – and his body was attacking itself from the inside out.
“I called an ambulance, and within eight minutes, they were there. At the hospital, we went straight into resuscitation, and I was told to say goodbye. His kidneys were shutting down, and they were going to put him on life support,” his wife Lucy told The Guardian.
Doctors’ prognoses were dull. They told the family there was just a three percent chance that Alex would survive as his face and body turned black.
“They were going to turn my life support off, but they wanted to give me one more night to see if I improved, and they wanted to give my family a chance to say goodbye,” Alex told Metro.
“I cannot imagine what Lucy and my mum were going through.
“Having spoken to them since it happened, I think they were more in shock as they couldn’t believe something so incredibly invasive was happening so quickly,” he added.
“I don’t remember being in excruciating pain at this point, but my family remembers seeing me in absolute agony.”
It was determined that a flesh-eating bacteria was poisoning his body so doctors had to amputate his left arm up to the elbow. Sadly, as months passed by, Alex lost all of his limbs, and doctors were also forced to cut parts of his face in order to save his life.
“I can remember seeing my legs in hospital and how they were getting blacker and blacker,” Alex told The Guardian. “The blackness was creeping up towards my waist. I don’t remember seeing my left arm in that condition, but I can remember my legs vividly.”
As Alex lost his lips, plastic surgeon Alexandra Crick took skin from his shoulder in an attempt to fix his mouth.
“It would take me about an hour to eat a sandwich at night, and that was with the help of the nurse,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The last available skin for surgery was on my shoulder,” he explained. “So they replaced the temporary flap with that. All my other skin had to be used for grafts or was scarred.”
“Having my bottom and top lip done at the same time like this was a world first. It’s one piece of skin, and it was like if you imagine placing a bag in your mouth and then sewing around the edges. After the original operation, I had to have them every three or four months.”
Looking at his father, and how different he was, Sam was afraid to approach closer to him, but Lucy found a way to explain to him why his dad looked like that, which wasn’t easy as Sam was just two years old at the time.
After spending months at the hospital Alex could finally go home. The good thing was that doctors managed to save the elbow of his right arm which allowed him to have a prosthetic and be able to use his arm. Eventually, he could speak again as his lip surgery was a huge success.
“That one elbow is his whole independence,” Lucy said.
“I had to relearn everything,” Alex added. “From learning to eat, drink, put my clothes on, to learn to use a prosthesis, and to self propel a manual wheelchair.”
Today, Alex is involved in a number of tech projects which help ease the lives of disabled people. Among the rest, he has tested solar-powered, battery-assisted four-wheeled handles which have been designed by masters students at Southampton University.
Despite his condition, he’s living a quality life and is doing a lot of things, such as kayaking and climbing. In 2019, he climbed one of Africa’s tallest mountains using a specially adapted buggy.
“Since becoming an amputee, I’ve been fortunate enough to try out a number of training methods to keep my fitness up, working with physios and visiting the Help for Heroes training facilities,” he shared with Sports Management.
“I’ve had first-rate guidance, but nothing has been as effective as EMS training, especially in such a short space of time.
“It’s amazing how the machine helps me to engage muscles I haven’t felt since I lost my arms and legs,” he added.
“I feel stronger in training, daily life tasks are easier, and I’ve gained greater confidence that I can take on these challenges.”
His Wild Wheelchairs Project, besides helping improve the lives of disabled people, raises money to finance the construction and operation of a wheelchair manufacturing facility in Ethiopia.
Alex is also a motivational speaker who is happy with his life.
“I’ve lived more of a life in the past four years than I did in the previous 33, and it’s made me realize how much I love Lucy and Sam,” he told Metro.
“There was so much I regretted not doing when I had arms and legs, but I am not letting that happen again. I would not change anything, not in a heartbeat.”
Sam also learned to love his dad for who he is and is proud of him.
We truly admire this brave man’s resilience. His story is proof that no matter the curveballs life throws at us, we should always do our best to end up winners.
Our Granddaughter Demanded We Give Her Our Villa as It Was Nicer despite Us Paying for Vacation – I Taught Her a Lesson
My plan to treat my grandkids to a luxurious family vacation took an unexpected turn when one of my granddaughters demanded the grandest accommodation. I decided to take the unconventional route to teach her a memorable lesson.
So, my husband, John, and I, we’ve been pretty lucky in life, and we wanted to do something special for our family. Our granddaughter, Robin, got married recently, and we thought, “Why not celebrate with a big family vacation?”
A happy older couple looking out at the ocean | Source: Shutterstock
We picked Bora Bora because, honestly, who doesn’t dream of going there? It’s like one of those places you see on postcards and think, “People actually go there?” Yes, they do, and we decided we were going to be those people.
A resort in Bora Bora | Source: Shutterstock
We got a great deal on this trip. We found this beautiful place that had room for all of us – three bungalows for the grandkids and their families, and one big villa for John and me.
Villas by the beach in Bora Bora | Source: Shutterstock
The bungalows were nice, each one a thousand square feet with a king bed or two queens, a bathroom, and some outdoor space.
A tropical bungalow on the beach | Source: Shutterstock
But the villa, oh boy, it was something else. Four thousand square feet all to ourselves, with a bedroom, a bathroom that had a sauna, a living room, and the best part, an outdoor area with a bathtub, a pool, and a slide straight into the ocean. It was paradise.
A sundeck with a pool overlooking the beach | Source: Shutterstock
Now, we hadn’t even been there for a full day when the trouble started. We were all having dinner together, enjoying the breeze and the sound of the waves, when my other granddaughter, Jenny, said something about wanting to use our slide.
Dinner by the water | Source: Shutterstock
Robin, who hadn’t seen our villa yet, asked to see pictures. I showed her, thinking she’d be excited. Instead, she got upset. Really upset.
“You expect us to live like peasants while you have a 4000 sq ft villa with a sauna and pool? I want it!” she demanded, right there at the dinner table.
Woman gesturing being upset | Source: Shutterstock
I couldn’t believe my ears. First off, nobody’s a peasant in Bora Bora. Second, we thought we’d done something nice by bringing everyone there.
Woman looking confused | Source: Shutterstock
I tried explaining to Robin that it wasn’t about the size of the room but about spending time together as a family. Plus, there was only one villa, and if we gave it to her, what would that say to the others?
But she wasn’t having any of it. She accused us of holding money over her head and stormed off, threatening to leave the next day.
An older woman arguing with a younger woman who looks away as another man sits in front of them | Source: Shutterstock
John thought maybe we should just give in to keep the peace, but something in me just couldn’t do that. It wasn’t right. All we wanted was a nice family vacation, and now it felt like everything was falling apart because of a room.
A man listening to a woman who’s touching his shoulder | Source: Shutterstock
So, that night, I barely got a wink of sleep. John was out like a light, but me? I was tossing and turning, thinking about Robin and her tantrum over the villa.
It’s funny, you know? One minute they’re little, needing you for everything, and the next, they’re all grown up and demanding villas in Bora Bora.
A woman laying in bed awake | Source: Shutterstock
I spent the whole night thinking about what to do. Part of me wanted to let Robin have her way just to stop the drama, but another part of me thought, “No, this is a chance to teach her a valuable lesson.”
A woman in deep thought while laying in bed | Source: Shutterstock
So, the next morning, when Robin refused to come to breakfast and was acting like she wouldn’t join us for anything as long as we were there, I decided on a new approach.
Breakfast by the water | Source: Shutterstock
I told everyone that if Robin and her husband really wanted to leave, I’d respect their decision and even help them find a flight back. I wasn’t kicking them out, but I also wasn’t going to beg them to stay.
Two women at a dining table peeling apples | Source: Shutterstock
I decided it was time to take action, not just stand by hoping Robin would come around. So, I did something I never thought I’d do on what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation: I went and booked a flight for Robin and her husband to head back home.
An older woman on the phone while looking at a laptop | Source: Shutterstock
I know, it sounds harsh, right? But sometimes, you’ve got to cut the line to save the net, as my old friend used to say. I asked the hotel staff to cancel Robin’s and her husband’s remaining reservations. They were kind about it, understanding the family drama more than I wished they had to.
Receptionist taking a call | Source: Shutterstock
Then came the packing. The hotel staff, bless their hearts, went over to help Robin and her hubby pack up their things. I didn’t go with them; felt it was better to keep my distance.
A man packing clothes in a suitcase | Source: Shutterstock
But I stood there on our villa’s balcony, watching them, feeling a mix of sadness and, weirdly, relief. It was like finally deciding to take an old, broken-down fence to the dump. You didn’t want to see it go, but it had to be done for the new one to come in.
An older woman looking out from a balcony | Source: Shutterstock
Breakfast was awkward. Everyone was tiptoeing around the elephant in the room, barely touching their tropical fruit plates. I decided it was time to clear the air. “Look,” I said, “last night got out of hand. We’re here to enjoy ourselves, not fight over who gets the fancier room.”
Untouched tropical breakfast spread | Source: Shutterstock
Just then, Robin storms in, looking like she’s ready to battle. “So, what, you’re kicking me out now?” she throws out, pointing a finger at me,
An angry woman pointing an accusatory finger | Source: Shutterstock
“No, Robin,” I sigh, “We’re not kicking you out. We just think if you’re so unhappy, maybe it’s best you head back. We want this vacation to be peaceful, you know?”
You could’ve heard a pin drop. Robin looked like she couldn’t decide if she was more shocked or angry. “I…I haven’t even looked up flights yet,” she stammers out, which was pretty much what I figured.
Woman looking upset | Source: Shutterstock
“Well, I already helped you with that,” I calmly said, trying to keep the peace but stay firm.
You should have seen the look on Robin’s face when she realized I wasn’t playing the game she expected. For so long, whenever she threw a fit, the family would scramble to make things right for her. Not this time. I was calm and firm. I said I’d miss her but understood if she felt she needed to go.
Woman looking surprised | Source: Shutterstock
After they left, something unexpected happened. The rest of the family came together like never before. My other grandkids told me they were proud of how I handled the situation. They said the trip was more enjoyable without the constant drama Robin tended to bring.
An older woman and a younger woman smiling at each other | Source: Shutterstock
And just like that, the vacation turned around. We enjoyed the villa, the slide, the ocean, and most importantly, each other’s company. It was a reminder that sometimes, standing your ground does more good than giving in to unreasonable demands.
A family enjoying at the beach | Source: Shutterstock
So, that’s the story. It’s not just about a fancy villa or a family vacation gone wrong. It’s about setting boundaries, about respect, and about showing love in tough situations. And you know what? I think we all learned something valuable from it, even Robin, wherever she is.
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