A grandfather was left fighting for his life after developing sepsis that he got from frequently biting his nails.

57-year-old Ricky Kennedy says he is lucky to be alive after he contracted the infection which is known as a ‘silent killer’.

The sepsis began after he bit his nail down too far and a blister appeared on his thumb. Mr. Kennedy was given a 50 percent chance of surviving the disease. He spent months in hospital battling against the infection.

Sepsis is responsible for killing around 44,000 people in the UK yearly. It develops when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own tissues and organs.

Mr. Kennedy went to see the GP as he became concerned about the blister on his thumb. He was prescribed antibiotics to get rid of the infection. However, it started to spread to his hands, arms, and chest.

“I didn’t think for a second that the cut on my thumb was the cause of it all. It was tiny,” Mr. Kennedy told the Lennox Herald.

“I had bitten my nail like that hundreds of times before so to think it almost killed me is terrifying. I was in so much pain, I couldn’t move. I thought I was having a heart attack and I really did think I was going to die.”

“If it wasn’t for Ghislaine (his wife) phoning an ambulance I would be dead,” he added.

Mrs. Kennedy called the doctor to visit their house and they were told that Mr. Kennedy had sepsis, and it would be a matter of life or death.

“By the time the doctor got here it was all spreading down Ricky’s arms and chest. He was absolutely delirious – he didn’t even know what age he was and he could barely breathe or stand up. I didn’t think he was going to make it,” Mrs. Kennedy expressed.

Mr. Kennedy stayed in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for months. “I don’t remember a thing from when I was first taken to hospital. All I can remember is asking a nurse if I was going to die,” he said.

“It was a terrible time and you sink into a depression being stuck in hospital for that long. I just wanted to come home but we were so lucky to have so many people visit and help us through it.”

Mr. Kennedy faces major surgery on his collarbone. “I’m lucky to be alive. I may never be as healthy or as strong as I was, but I’m still here with my family and that is very precious to me,” he said.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section. SHARE this story with your family and friends!