A mum has issued a stark warning after her son was struck down by a rare and potentially fatal condition, triggered by a chest infection, which left him unable to walk or talk for several months. Martine Purdy, 51, was heartbroken when she found her then 11-year-old son Franki on his bed, his fingers twisted backwards and making a strange murmuring noise.

The special effects makeup artist, from Nottingham, revealed that there were no clear symptoms of the impending illness, apart from a leg ache, mild fever, and a persistent chest infection that had lasted five weeks. Franki, who is now 13, was rushed to hospital where doctors shockingly announced he had just one hour to live upon arrival.

He was put into an induced coma and later diagnosed with a rare and lethal form of meningitis combined with sepsis, leaving Martine bracing herself to bid farewell. Miraculously, Franki fought back, but even after 19 months, he struggles to remember conversations moments after they occur and requires assistance with basic tasks like bathing and dressing.

Medical professionals believe the condition was likely triggered by a chest infection that spread to his brain. Recalling the terrifying ordeal, Martine shared: "There were no immediate signs, he had complained of a pain in his leg the day before, and he was really tired."

"The next morning I went up to his room and he was sat on the edge of the bed and his fingers were all bent backwards, his eyes were half closed, and he was making this awful murmuring sound," she went on.

"I couldn't rouse him; it was like he was on a different planet. I didn't know this at the time, but he had already had two seizures, his right lung had collapsed, and he'd had a stroke.

"When the paramedics arrived, they tried to get him down to the ambulance, but in his confusion, he thought he was being kidnapped. In the hospital, doctors put him in an induced coma and said he had swelling on his brain.

"It was the most horrific sight you could imagine, he was hooked up to all of these wires and there were machines breathing for him. The doctors said it was really lucky that Franki was fighting, as it can be fatal.

"They said he only had an hour to live when the ambulance got to him. Me and his dad Luke stayed every night in hospital with him for a whole month, where he had to learn to walk, talk eat and swallow again. Now, 19 months on, he's only just transitioning back to school, but it's so hard for him, as he forgets conversations as soon as they have happened."

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Martine initially became concerned about her son one day in March 2024 when he started complaining of leg pain. Franki also seemed extremely fatigued and had lost his appetite, and by evening, he'd developed a temperature.

As Franki had been battling a chest infection for five weeks, Martine didn't think the temperature was particularly alarming. The following morning, after experiencing an uneasy feeling, Martine checked on Franki in his room.

Upon finding her son sitting on the edge of the bed, his fingers "bent backwards" and making a low murmuring sound, Martine immediately dialled for emergency services. However, in his disoriented state, Franki believed he was being abducted when they attempted to transport him to the ambulance.

Once at the hospital, Franki underwent numerous tests. Martine was informed that he would need to be put into an induced coma to determine what was wrong.

He was subsequently diagnosed with meningoencephalitis, a rare and potentially fatal form of bacterial meningococcal meningitis with sepsis.

This condition occurs when there is inflammation or infection in the brain and meninges - the protective layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It's typically caused by viral or bacterial infections, like the chest infection Franki had, which can spread to the brain, causing inflammation.

Symptoms include seizures, memory loss, and difficulty moving body parts.

Given the severity of his condition, Martine confessed she was "prepared to say goodbye", unsure of how much time he had left. Despite the odds, Franki demonstrated remarkable resilience, spending a month in hospital where he relearned basic skills such as walking, talking, and eating.

Nearly two years later, he continues to rely on a wheelchair periodically, with Martine assisting him with daily tasks like washing and getting dressed. Franki has no recollection of what happened, and whilst hospitalised experienced confabulation nightmares - vivid dreams he believed were reality - including one where his face was covered in staples.

"It was horrible watching him go from a lively boy to a shadow of himself," Martine said. The illness also caused patchy hair loss, and he continues to endure severe headaches to this day.

He's only now gradually returning to school, though he faces significant learning difficulties as he struggles to retain new information. Martine explained: "He has no memory recall, he forgot a lot of his classmates' names when he went back to school."

During Franki's hospital stay, Martine began crafting a tale where she envisioned that whilst his body lay in a coma, his consciousness wandered through an enchanted woodland, encountering talking creatures who urged him to stay strong.

She transformed this narrative into a published book, aiming to raise awareness about brain injuries and offer solace to families facing similar ordeals. Her book, The Forest of Remembering, is available to buy on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918011605.