A DISTRAUGHT family has been left at a loss to explain how a 23-year-old went from being fit and healthy to fighting for his life in the space of 24 hours.

Harry Newman, who lives near Colchester city centre, had been out for dinner on Sunday night with his friends before he returned home, telling his mum he needed to lie down.

After being physically ill on Sunday night, Mr Newman’s family had assumed he was suffering from heatstroke or food poisoning, but after his condition severely deteriorated into Monday, he was then taken to hospital later that day.

Mr Newman’s mum, Kerry Newman, explained how quickly the situation unfolded.

Gazette:

She said: “He kept being sick and his body was just shaking and because he had eaten some fish and chips, we thought it was maybe food poisoning.

“When my daughter went to check on him, he was in a bad way – she helped get him sorted and we got in touch with 111 who told us to get him to the hospital straight away.

“He was in so much pain and literally couldn’t move.”

By Monday, night, Mr Newman had been taken into intensive care and was being treated for sepsis and kidney failure.

“He got worse so rapidly that he was coming out in bruises; he was freezing cold and his organs were shutting down – his kidneys were failing him and only working at 20 per cent.

“He’s very, very poorly.”

Gazette:

Mrs Newman added her family has been in shock since her son was taken ill, adding that doctors at Colchester Hospital are still trying to work out what has happened to him.

“I’m not in a very good place at all," Mrs Newman added.

“I’ve got my own health problems but I’m not bothered about myself at the moment.

“He deteriorated so quickly through the night and there’s only so much the doctors can do for him [at Colchester Hospital] – if he doesn’t improve he will have to go to Addenbrookes Hospital.

“The doctors are trying to figure out the right medication – he’s on lots of different stuff with a ventilator and lots of machines beeping.

“I’m distraught.”