Bodybuilder dies after graze turned into flesh-eating disease
A bodybuilder who grazed his arm at work died after the small wound developed into a flesh-eating disease, an inquest heard.
Did Sky News presenter swear live on air after dropping nurdles everywhere?Stuart Wheawall, 38, thought nothing of the half-a-centimetre cut as he unloaded a delivery at TK Maxx in Chesterton, Staffordshire.
But after five days, the wound became infected and he developed a rare flesh-eating disease, called necrotizing fasciitis.
During an operation to remove the dead tissue, the father-of-two contracted septicaemia and tragically died of a heart attack.
His family were advised by staff at Royal Stoke University Hospital to turn off his life support machine in February last year, North Staffordshire Coroner’s Court heard.
Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Iain McFadyen, said: ‘Even if we had managed to get him into surgery two or three hours earlier, the outcome would have been the same.’
Schoolgirl died from brain tumour after GP said she was just suffering from ‘exam stress’Mr Wheawall had not reported cutting himself at work.
His mother Alison Wheawall, 60, told the inquest: ‘A cut that small would have been of no concern to him because he was such a well-built man. He suspected that it might have been infected and sent us photos through Whatsapp.
‘He tried to get an appointment at the GP but couldn’t wait any longer and called himself an ambulance on February 16.
‘He told the staff that he got the cut at work and they confirmed that it was infected.’
Taxi driver blames passengers farting for speedingStuart’s parents have now urged people to make sure their cuts are checked out.
Dad Derrick, 62, said: ‘I want to warn people about the dangers of infected cuts because everybody should always treat them and get them checked out.
‘This can happen to anyone, from a thorn in the garden to a little scrape, and it takes hold so quickly.’
Pathologist Dr Haim Ali concluded Mr Wheawall died from septicaemia and chronic bronchitis.
His death was ruled as accidental.