When Nick Peters, 42, went to a gig with friends one night in 2002, he could little imagine it would change his life forever.
Afterwards, the Perth man developed like he had what he describes as a “really bad cold”.
“It got progressively worse, I was stumbling around and I passed out,” Peters said.
He was so ill, his mother called an ambulance.
READ MORE: Australia’s leading causes of death revealed
MEDAL TALLY: Olympic medal table and full results from every event
But the medics dismissed the 20-year old’s illness.
“They jumped to conclusions. They thought I was on drugs or something,” he told 9News.
The paramedics left – but things got worse and his mother dialled triple zero again.
This time, Peters also had a rash which is a key sign of meningococcal septicaemia.
He was rushed to hospital
And those few steps from his home to the ambulance would be significant.
“I still vaguely remember stumping out into the ambulance… it was the last time I ever walked,” Peters said.
He was very ill. suffered multiple heart attacks and was in a coma for ten days.
OLYMPIC HUB: You can find all the latest Paris 2024 stories from Wide World Of Sport here
His family were told his chance of survival was two per cent.
But when he woke up he faced a dire choice.
His limbs were so badly affected they all needed to be amputated.
If he didn’t go ahead with the harrowing surgery, he’d die.
“At first they didn’t tell me I was going to lose my limbs, I thought I’d recover and they would heal. It was only after they told me,’ he said.
“It was pretty gut wrenching having to make that decision.”
He told the doctors to go ahead with the lifesaving surgery, and they removed his legs above the knee and his arms below the elbow.
He spent months in hospital and rehab.
Of course, both mentally and physically, it was a tough recovery.
OLYMPIC SCHEDULE: Your day-to-day guide to all the action in Paris, in AEST times
But Peters got a big boost when starting playing wheelchair rugby.
He was so good, he made the Australian Paralympic Games wheelchair rugby squad.
But more health complications cut his sporting dreams short.
The liver transplant he’d needed after his illness was rejected by his body
He now needs dialysis three times a week as he waits for another organ.
He has been on the list since 2009 and is urging Aussies to consider joining the organ donor register.
However, Peters hasn’t let his disability affect him.
He has two children with partner Tamara, who he met online five years ago, Bastian, two and a half months and Willow, one and a half,
Tamara also has another child, River 10.
READ MORE: What you need to know about FLiRT, Australia’s new COVID variants
READ MORE: Aussie-made drug helped change life of stroke survivor
And he said he’s not much different from any other dad, but does have to contend with wondering if his kids are missing out.
“Some of the hardest parts are I might see a dad with a young child on this shoulders walking around, and teaching a kid to ride a bike,” he said.
Nick works for an internet provider.
However, he needs a new car to get to and from work and dialysis.
He has an adapted vehicle he drives with his hands, which desperately needs upgrading.
While NDIS will cover adaptations to the car, he needs to buy it.
He wants a 2023/2024 Kia Carnival SLI/Platinum because it has an electric boot and doors.
A GoFundMe has ben set up to raise money towards the $64,190 cost.
What is meningococcal septicaemia
Meningococcal disease is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcal bacteria
It can develop quickly, and can kill.
Symptoms include a fever, headache, neck stiffness, light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, or loss of appetite, drowsiness and confusion, leg pain or other muscle or joint aches and pains, Health Direct says.
It can also cause a rash of red or purple pinprick spots, or larger bruise-like areas.
It spreads through close and prolonged contact, NSW Health says.
Watch every moment, every medal of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now. Plus, every event ad-free and in 4K on Stan Sport.
links to content on ABC
9News
