Australia batting legend Ricky Ponting has recalled the terrifying moment when he thought his son Fletcher has died after he had contracted an infection during a hernia surgery when he has just eight months old. Fletcher, five, has in fact has fought with death twice, the first when he was diagnosed with meningitis just six weeks old.
The infection nearly shut down Fletcher’s body and Ponting looked helplessly as around 15 doctors and nurses were pressed into action to save the kid’s life.
“He was just limp. I thought to myself, ‘He’s gone!’ Every nurse and doctor from the level rushed into the room at the same time – it was like a code red,” Ponting told The Herald Sun.
The MRSA infection becomes life-threatening if it spreads to the lungs and bloodstream
“It’s where your mind goes. Your body goes numb. You are helpless. There’s nothing scarier.”I thought he was going to come out with his whole right side cut out. Luckily, they got it before it got into his flesh and took over his body,” he added.
Ponting is glad his wife Rianna wasn’t in that room to see their son in agony because the image of that moment would have haunted ‘her to this day’.
During his career, Ponting made his name not only as one of the finest batsmen to have played the game but also as a superb captain having led Australia to back-to-back ODI World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007.
