Two-year-old Max Payne from Immingham, England, holds onto the yellow rail of his play pen as he stands up. He glances up at the video camera for a moment, and then walks to the other room, where he calls out some form of indecipherable two-year-old speak to his mother.
Almost a month ago, his parents thought this wouldn’t be possible. On September 21st, 2017, Max’s mother Ashleigh Payne called an ambulance after Max started having trouble breathing. Initially, the doctors sent home with a cold-like virus. Three days later, the situation grew even more serious. Ashleigh describes the heart-stopping instant when she saw that Max fell over and realized he was not able to move.
Max was then diagnosed with Guillian-Barre Syndrome. Guillian-Barre Syndrome is a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its nerves. To learn more about this disorder, click here.
The doctors told his family he might not walk for over a year. They were worried that even then, it might be years before he was able to play and run with his brothers. As a two-year-old, Max had already learned to walk and play, and his family saw how frustrating it was for him to have these new skills taken away so quickly.
Against all odds, Max is up and running around not even one month later. His brothers, ages six and nine, are thrilled to have him back on his feet. He’s been playing football with them.
Ashleigh believes that part of what helped was the family’s unwavering support and commitment to keep him active in any way they could. She also credits a small rolling toy, which Max used as a miniature walker.
To thank the hospital staff who saved Max, there will be a Halloween party at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital. The proceeds will be donated to Sick Children’s Trust, which provides accommodation to family’s of young children in the hospital. Max’s mother has also launched a JustGiving page for direct donations. You can donate directly here.
