Sepsis: The man who 'died' and came back to life

Farmer Marshall Wylie thought nothing of it when he cut his arm, sorting wood in August 2023. And he thought even less of it when he felt ill over the next 48 hours. But after a sepsis diagnosis, he had to have both his legs amputated. Sepsis is a life-threatening immune system response to infection, in which the body damages its own tissues and organs. Farmers can be at particular risk of developing sepsis due to incidents on the farm, but can also be reluctant to seek healthcare. Warning: This article contains some graphic images of hands and feet with sepsis. The County Tyrone man told BBC News NI that his doctor branded him a "complete and utter miracle". Marshall told BBC NI he had "never, ever heard of sepsis", but it left him with a choice: keeping his legs, or his life. Now, he is supporting an awareness campaign aimed at his fellow farmers, being launched at the Balmoral Show by the NI Agri-Rural Health Forum and the Farm Safety Partnership. Like many farmers, Marshall had other jobs that helped pay the bills. And in August 2023, at one of them, he cut his arm while moving dumped wood. He thoroughly washed the "wee scratch", put plenty of iodine on it and covered it with a