SAN ANTONIO -- A 7 year old boy is finally home in San Antonio after he caught H1N1 almost two years ago. Mark Martinez, who was just five years old at the time, was admitted to Santa Rosa Hospital after he came down with the illness. Due to severe complications, he had to be airlifted for specialty medical care in Houston.
"At first, I just thought it was going to be like a normal flu," Mark Martinez Senior said, of when his son first came down with the flu. But the H1N1 virus started to viciously attack Mark's little body.
"In a matter of two weeks, the first thing he lost was his gall bladder," said Martinez. "The second thing, is it started affecting his liver."
Within one month, the five year old boy had to undergo two liver transplants. The downward health spiral continued with kidney failure, seizures, and bleeding in the brain.
"From a parent's point of view, that is the hardest thing," said Martinez. "Watching your kid literally deteriorate before your eyes, and there's nothing you can do."
Mark's mom, Nora Martinez, says doctors didn't give him a very good prognosis for survival.
"We prayed a lot," said Nora, as tears filled her eyes.
High blood pressure caused by the 15 medications Mark was on even stole his sight.
"He got what they call PRES," Nora said. "He went blind twice for 7 days."
Throughout the nearly two year ordeal, support from law enforcement heroes helped keep his spirits up. And now, Mark has finally been released from the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. He brings home plenty of souvenirs -- both from the hospital room, and on his body. A scar down his chest and abdomen show were doctors cut him open for his liver transplants. But he doesn't call it a scar. He has another name.
"This is my Jesus," said Mark, pointing to the cross-like incision. "These are his arms, that's his head, and that's his body."
For Nora, who had to quit her job to be by Mark's side in Houston, the long journey feels like a nightmare she just woke up from.
"He has a purpose in this world," said Nora. "He's here for a reason."
And Mark agrees.
"I want to be president, mayor, FBI, police," Mark said, of some of his future career aspirations.
Unfortunately, Mark is not out of the woods yet. He'll need to go back to Houston once a month for treatment, and he's at risk for bone marrow failure. His family has set up a benefit account to help with medical bills.
You can make a donation to the "Mark A. Martinez II Fund" at any location of Generations Federal Credit Union
