Bike-mad lad Ethan Hunt, 16, dies after having BOTH legs amputated during battle with sepsis
A TEENAGER who had to have his legs amputated in his fight against sepsis has died.
Keen cyclist Ethan Hunt, 16, passed away on Monday night after becoming struck down over a month ago.
Doctors at Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital had put the schoolboy, who was studying for his GCSEs, into an induced coma as they battled to bring his sepsis under control.
This included amputating both the bike-mad boy’s legs.
Ethan had initially been suffering what the family thought was a cold or flu on February 3.
Five days later he was laughing and joking and went for a nap in the afternoon.
The family were hoping he would recover from flu in time for his dad, Andrew's 40th birthday.
But when his mother, Melanie, 44, went to check on him he had a purple rash across his whole body.
She called for an ambulance and told Ethan's father, Andrew to rush home.
Because of delays they drove Ethan to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he was found to have sepsis and put into an induced coma.
DEADLY BLOOD POISONING THAT CAN RESULT IN MULTIPLE ORGAN FAILURE
Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is always triggered by an infection, including the flu virus.
Most often the culprit is an infection we all recognise - pneumonia, urinary infections (UTIs), skin infections including cellulitis and infections in the stomach, appendicitis for example.
Typically, when a person suffers a minor cut, the area surround the wound will become red, swollen and warm to touch.
This is evidence the body's immune system has kicked into action, releasing white blood cells to the site of the injury to kill off the bacteria causing the infection.
The white blood cells and platelets form blood clots in the tissues around the cut.
Blood vessels swell to allow more blood to flow, and they become leaky, allowing infection-fighting cells to get out of the blood and into the tissues where they are needed.
Ethan was transferred to Wythenshawe and after his condition deteriorated and there was no pulse in his legs a decision was made to amputate.
During his struggle for life he suffered three heart attacks as well as fighting sepsis, pneumonia, respiratory failure and MRSA.
At the time of his amputation, Ethan's aunt, Nicola Spencer, 47, said: "I am sure they would much rather have a son and Jodie, 24, (Ethan's sister) would much rather have a brother with no legs than not having him at all.”
A fundraising page had been set up to buy new legs for Ethan when he woke up.
But instead school friends were delivered the heartbreaking news that he had died.
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An announcement was made at Blessed Trinity RC College in Burnley, Lancs., and a spokesman said the school was "devastated" following the tragic news.
The spokesman said: "Everyone at Blessed Trinity is devastated following the news that Ethan has passed away.
"Ethan was a lovely young man and was a very popular member of our Catholic community.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
"Naturally we are offering help and support to his friends at this difficult time."
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