In 2013, Alex Lewis thought

In November 2013, 33-year-old Alex Lewis—a pub owner and a father from Hampshire, England—thought he had nothing more than a simple cold or flu. His symptoms were mild at first: a sore throat, tiredness, and a general feeling of being unwell. He assumed a few days of rest would fix everything.

But the opposite happened.

Within days his condition became terrifyingly worse.
His skin started to turn purple, showing that his body was shutting down. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors quickly realized he wasn’t dealing with the flu at all.

Alex had developed a Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) infection that had turned into Septic Shock and Necrotizing Fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating disease. The infection was attacking his internal organs, skin, and limbs at frightening speed. Doctors gave him only a 3% chance of survival.

His body began to fail.
His vital organs were collapsing, and he was placed on life support. His family was told to prepare for the worst. At one point, the medical team even considered turning off his life support because they believed he had no chance of recovery.

But Alex fought on.

When he finally regained consciousness, doctors had to deliver devastating news:
To survive, he would need to undergo multiple amputations. The infection had destroyed most of the tissue in his limbs and parts of his face.

Alex was told he would have to lose:

Both arms
Both legs
Part of his face, including his lips and the soft tissue around his mouth

Alex agreed. He chose life.

Life After the Surgeries

The surgeries were successful, but the recovery was incredibly difficult. Alex had to re-learn how to do everything—how to move, communicate, and live with prosthetic limbs. He endured dozens of operations, skin grafts, and reconstruction procedures.

Yet despite the unimaginable trauma, Alex refused to give up.

With the support of his partner, Lucy, and their young son, Sam, he pushed himself every day. Slowly, he learned to walk again using prosthetics and regained independence through sheer determination.

Alex began speaking publicly about his journey and used his experience to raise awareness about the dangers of Strep A infections and the power of resilience.

Alex’s View on Life After the Ordeal

In interviews, Alex revealed something truly remarkable:
He said that 2013—the year he almost died—ended up being the best year of his life.

Why?

Because it changed his perspective completely. He discovered strength he never knew he had. He grew closer to his family. And he found a new purpose in helping others through his story.