Jacob Butler, 14, was left with a horrific wound after the dip in the Blue Lagoon in Cheshire (Image: SWNS)
A schoolboy almost lost his leg after he caught a flesh-eating disease while swimming in a lake with friends to cool off during a heatwave. Jacob Butler, 14, was left with a horrific wound after the dip in the Blue Lagoon in Colliers Moss Park near Burtonwood, Cheshire.
As he was jumping into the water, his right leg was snagged on a piece of wire, cutting it down to the bone just below his knee. The nasty gash became infected with a rare disease called necrotising fasciitis, which can be life-threatening. Jacob has now been left with a 15cm (6 ins) chunk of muscle missing from his leg, but the lad was told he is lucky it didn’t need to be amputated.
Jacob had to be airlifted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (Image: SWNS)
Mum, Rebecca Butler, 33, shared her son’s story to raise awareness about the dangers of open water. She said: “The whole ordeal has been devastating for me as a mum.
“I honestly thought he was going to die, and to be told he could have if I hadn’t brought him to the hospital keeps me up at night.
“At one point there were what looked like 30 doctors and surgeons in the room all discussing his leg. All the worst-case scenarios were flying around my head.”
She said Jacob’s leg is deformed and will remain so for the rest of his life because of the “tragic” accident. Rebecca added: “We never want anyone to have to go through what Jacob has been through.”
Jacob was playing with friends on April 30 when he phoned his dad, Ashley Butler, 37, telling him he had an “accident” and it was “really bad”.
Jacob’s leg could have been amputated (Image: SWNS)
Paramedics went to the lake and the teenager was airlifted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
Luckily for Jacob, before the emergency services arrived a nearby fisherman came to his aid and wrapped his leg in a T-shirt, reducing the blood flow.
Rebecca said his actions ultimately saved her son’s life as well as his leg from being amputated.
Jacob underwent emergency surgery the next morning to remove the signs of infection and stitch his leg back up. He was discharged a couple of days later.
But on May 13 Rebecca noticed his leg smelled like “rotting flesh” and took him back to A&E. She added: “It smelt like death, it was horrific.
“I was concerned and took him to the hospital, and doctors told me his leg was infected with a flesh-eating disease.
Necrotising fasciitis, also known as the ‘flesh-eating disease’, is a rare and life-threatening infection (Image: SWNS)
“It was terrifying, as they told me if I hadn’t come in when I did, it could have been life-threatening. But the doctors did a great job looking after him.”
Jacob underwent five hours of surgery to remove the infection. Rebecca said the bug had eaten around 15 cm of flesh.
Rebecca said doctors told her that Aeromonas Hydrophila had caused the flesh-eating bug, necrotising fasciitis, to form on his leg.
Necrotising fasciitis, also known as the “flesh-eating disease”, is a rare and life-threatening infection of the deeper layers of your skin, according to the NHS.
Aeromonas Hydrophila is a bacterium found in brackish water, like lakes and rivers, and commonly enters the body through cuts to the skin.
Jacob has since had calf muscle transfer surgery to move the top muscle from his calf around to the front of his leg to aid his ability to walk. He has also had a skin graft placed over the area, which was from his right thigh.
Rebecca said: “Luckily, we still have our son, but unfortunately, there are others who will never see their children again. Water safety is real and no joke.”
Jacob said: “Please don’t jump into open water as it can be very dangerous. I could have lost my leg or worse.”