Dad was left unrecognizable after losing his lips and four limbs to flesh-eating bacteria – This is what he looks like today

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.

Mother of the Groom Hires an Unknown Actress to Sabotage the Wedding, but Plans Spiral Out of Control – Story of the Day

A struggling actress takes an unusual job after being hired by a wealthy man’s mother to pose as his girlfriend and sabotage his upcoming wedding. But as she spends more time with him and his fiancée, she questions her actions and the price of her desperation. What will she choose?

Miranda stepped out of the dim audition room, her chest heavy with frustration. The casting director’s parting words, “You’re not interesting enough,” stung more than she wanted to admit.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

With her wallet almost empty, taking a taxi home wasn’t an option, so she trudged along the busy sidewalk, her thoughts clouded with doubt and discouragement.

As she neared a small corner store, a bulletin board tacked outside caught her eye. Among the cluttered ads and flyers, one stood out.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

She stepped closer to read the hastily written note: “Looking for a woman to pretend to be my son’s girlfriend. Will pay well.” Beneath the bold letters was a single phone number. No name, no explanation.

Miranda shook her head and chuckled to herself. “People are wild,” she muttered, brushing it off as she entered the store.

At the register, reality hit her hard. The little she could afford—pasta, cheese, and toilet paper—barely filled a small bag.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The notice snagged her attention again as she was heading back. Staring at her meager groceries, she sighed, pulled out her phone, and dialed the number.

“Hello, I saw your ad—” Miranda began, gripping her phone tightly.

A sharp voice cut her off. “Meet me at 7:00 p.m. at Bella Luna. Dinner’s on me.”

Miranda blinked in surprise. “Wait, what—”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

The line went dead. She stared at her phone. No name. No details. Just instructions. It felt strange, but with her bills piling up, she didn’t have the luxury to ignore it.

At 7:00 p.m., Miranda entered the restaurant, her stomach fluttering. She scanned the room, unsure who she was meeting.

A middle-aged woman in a tailored suit approached her, her steps confident.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Are you the one who called about the ad?” the woman asked, her tone brisk.

“Yes, I’m Miranda,” she replied, offering a polite smile.

“Leslie,” the woman said, gesturing toward a nearby table. “Follow me.”

Once seated, Leslie leaned forward. “Do you have experience with this sort of thing?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda hesitated. “Not exactly. I’ve never pretended to be someone’s girlfriend before,” she admitted. “But I’m an actress. I think I can do it.”

Leslie nodded, her expression unreadable. “Good enough,” she said. “Here’s the deal. My son is getting married in a month. I need you to make him fall for you and ruin the wedding.”

Miranda’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me? Your ad said to pretend to be his girlfriend. It didn’t say anything about ruining relationships.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I’m not stupid enough to write that in an ad,” Leslie said, her voice sharp. “His fiancée isn’t good enough for him. She’s only after his money. You’d be helping him, really.”

Miranda pushed her chair back. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry,” she said, preparing to leave.

“Ten thousand,” Leslie said suddenly.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What?” Miranda froze.

“Ten thousand dollars if you break up the wedding. Two thousand if you try but fail. That should motivate you,” Leslie explained, her eyes fixed on Miranda.

Miranda’s breath caught. Ten thousand dollars. Two thousand, even. Her landlord’s threats echoed in her head. She needed the money.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Honey, I don’t have all day,” Leslie snapped.

Miranda swallowed hard. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good. But don’t slack off. If you do, you get nothing,” Leslie warned, extending her hand.

With a deep sigh, Miranda shook it.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Leslie had it all mapped out, and Miranda followed the plan step by step. Leslie’s son, Jack, was hiring an assistant for his company, so Leslie helped Miranda put together an impressive résumé.

It was polished to perfection, making Miranda seem like the ideal candidate. Jack didn’t hesitate—she got the job almost immediately.

But getting the job was the easy part. The hard part was getting Jack to notice her.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda tried everything Leslie suggested. She wore short skirts and fitted blouses, hoping to catch his eye.

Yet, Jack seemed uninterested. His focus was always on work.

Frustrated, Miranda decided to try something different. She began staying late at the office, waiting for moments when it was just the two of them.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One evening, Jack looked up from his desk and frowned. “You don’t have to stay just because I’m still here,” he said, his tone gentle but firm.

Miranda forced a smile. “I enjoy your company,” she replied, sitting across from him and pretending to organize files.

Over the next two weeks, something shifted. Jack began having longer conversations with Miranda, talking about his life, his goals, and even his favorite movies.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Yet, the more time Miranda spent with Jack, the harder her task became. She had met Katie, his fiancée, the woman Leslie despised.

Katie wasn’t what Miranda expected. She was kind, thoughtful, and genuinely sweet.

She brought homemade cookies to the office, reminded Jack to eat, and calmed him with a soothing word when he was stressed.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One day, Miranda watched as Katie laughed over an origami crane Jack had made for her.

The love between them was undeniable. Leslie’s claims about Katie being a gold-digger felt harder to believe.

Still, Miranda couldn’t back out. Her landlord had already warned her about overdue rent, and the clock was ticking. Desperation outweighed her growing guilt.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

One evening, as Miranda stayed late at the office with Jack, her phone buzzed. She sighed, seeing Leslie’s name on the screen. Reluctantly, she answered.

“What’s taking so long?” Leslie demanded. “The wedding is in a week, and he’s still with Katie!”

“I’m working on it,” Miranda replied quietly, glancing at Jack, who was seated nearby, engrossed in his laptop.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“There’s no time left. You need to sleep with him,” Leslie snapped.

“What?! We never agreed to that!” Miranda exclaimed, her voice rising slightly.

“Then fake it,” Leslie said coldly. “Make it look like you did and send me photos. I’m done waiting.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Before Miranda could respond, the line went dead. She stared at the phone, her stomach twisting.

Slowly, she walked back to Jack and sat next to him on the couch, closer than she ever had before.

“Tired?” she asked, her voice softer than usual.

Jack glanced up briefly. “Yeah, a little,” he admitted.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda hesitated, then placed her hand on his arm. “Maybe we could go to a bar. Unwind a little?”

Jack shook his head. “I can’t. Katie made dinner. She’ll already be upset that I’m late.”

“Does it really matter?” Miranda asked, leaning in slightly. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Before Jack could respond, the elevator doors opened. Startled, Miranda pulled back. The sound of heels echoed as Katie appeared carrying two lunchboxes.

“I thought I’d bring dinner since you’re working late,” Katie said, smiling. She handed one box to Jack and turned to Miranda. “I brought some for you, too. You shouldn’t go hungry.”

Miranda stared at Katie, her heart sinking. Without thinking, she blurted, “I can’t do this anymore!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, confused.

Miranda took a deep breath. “I’m an actress. I was hired to ruin your wedding. Leslie wanted me to make you fall for me. I needed the money, so I said yes. I’m sorry.”

Jack and Katie listened in stunned silence.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I’m so sorry,” Miranda said again, her voice breaking. “I’m a horrible person.”

“No, you’re just someone in a desperate situation,” Katie said, taking Miranda’s hand.

Miranda shook her head. “Who are you? I just admitted I was trying to steal your fiancé, and you’re comforting me?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Katie smiled gently. “I know Jack loves me. You wouldn’t have succeeded.”

Jack frowned with a hard expression. “I don’t want my mom to get away with this. Will you help us?”

“It’s the least I can do,” Miranda agreed.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

They carried out Jack’s plan with careful precision. Fake photos of Miranda and Jack in intimate moments were sent to Leslie.

Her response came quickly—she was excited and praised Miranda, convinced the wedding was ruined.

Meanwhile, Miranda saved screenshots of Leslie’s incriminating messages, knowing they would be crucial.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

At Jack and Katie’s rehearsal dinner, Miranda stood before the gathered guests, her heart pounding.

One by one, the photos, the messages, and even the ad that had first brought her into their lives appeared on the screen.

The room fell silent, then erupted in hushed whispers. Guests exchanged shocked glances, their disbelief palpable.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“This is all lies! I can explain!” Leslie shouted, her face red with anger.

Jack’s expression remained cold as he stepped forward. “Thanks, Mom, but Miranda already explained everything. We know the truth.”

Leslie’s voice rose in desperation. “I only wanted better for you! That woman doesn’t deserve you! She’s not good enough!”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Jack said firmly. “I’ll never forgive you for trying to ruin that. Now leave. Don’t come back into our lives.”

Leslie’s mouth opened to protest. “But—”

“Leave now,” Jack interrupted, his tone sharp. “Or I’ll call security.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Leslie’s face twisted in frustration. She grabbed her bag, muttering under her breath, and stormed out, her heels clicking loudly against the floor.

As the room settled, Miranda quietly gathered her things, preparing to slip out unnoticed. Jack noticed and stopped her. “Wait,” he said.

Miranda looked up, hesitant. “What is it?”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“I spoke to a friend of mine. He has a role in a theater production. You’d be perfect for it,” Jack said.

Her face lit up briefly but quickly fell. “I can’t. I owe you too much already.”

“Stop,” Jack said firmly. “Actors like you are hard to find. You did spend a whole month pretending you enjoyed staying late at the office with me. And you’ll still get your paycheck for this month as my assistant.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Miranda shook her head. “I don’t deserve it. I nearly destroyed your lives.”

Katie stepped forward, her voice calm and kind. “If not for you, Leslie would still be trying to ruin our wedding.”

Miranda hesitated. Katie smiled and added, “Stay for dinner. You’re already here. I’ll be upset if you leave.”

Miranda’s eyes filled with gratitude as she hugged Katie tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Sarah’s life has always revolved around her family, but a devastating call from the hospital forced her to confront everything she had put on hold. As she rediscovers herself and begins living on her terms, a surprising twist changes everything, leading her to see life completely differently.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.

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