A 19-year-old Australian basketball star is fighting for his life in an intensive care unit after being struck down by a devastating and unidentified illness while pursuing his professional dreams in Thailand.
Dream Career Cut Short by Sudden Collapse
Jordan Ambler, a talented teen from the Gold Coast, had just begun what he hoped would be a glittering professional career. He moved to Bangkok in September to play for the Overseas Supreme club in the Thailand Global League.
Within days of his arrival, his lifelong ambition came to a terrifying halt. The previously fit and healthy athlete was rushed to a Bangkok hospital after being felled by a sudden, severe mystery illness.
After four days in critical condition in Thailand, he was cleared to be airlifted back to Australia for further treatment. For the next month, Ambler was in and out of hospital as doctors conducted test after test, all failing to pinpoint the cause of his sickness.
Condition Deteriorates: Collapsed Lung and Induced Coma
The situation took a dire turn a fortnight ago when Ambler's condition rapidly worsened. He suffered a collapsed lung and severe pneumonia, leading to his lungs ceasing to function.
He was rushed to intensive care and placed in an induced coma on a ventilator. Doctors delivered a devastating ultimatum to his family: he needed an urgent, life-saving procedure or he would die.
Ambler remains in a critical condition, kept alive by a heart-lung bypass machine, known as an ECMO machine. This device takes over the work of his heart and lungs, allowing his body to rest and heal while specialists desperately search for answers.
A Family's Vigil and a Plea for Public Awareness
His family maintains a constant bedside vigil, praying for what they call a "Christmas miracle." His mother, Jen Ambler, told the Daily Mail that his future remains "unknown and uncertain."
"The hospital has run hundreds of tests, all of which have come back negative," she explained. "He is an extremely rare case." Medical teams are consulting with hospitals and overseas specialists to devise a treatment plan.
Amid the anguish, the Ambler family has praised the "absolutely outstanding" medical staff working around the clock. They are also keen to use Jordan's story to highlight the critical importance of blood and plasma donation.
"We truly believe the public would benefit from understanding more about how much they are needed in ICU to save lives," Ms Ambler said. "Without the ECMO machine and the highly skilled nurses and specialists... our son would not be alive today."
The basketball community on the Gold Coast and beyond has rallied in support. An online fundraiser, set up to assist with medical and rehabilitation costs, raised almost $5,000 within its first 24 hours.
The fundraiser highlights Ambler's passion for the game, not just as a player but as a coach at the MVP Basketball Academy, where he mentored young athletes. "Nothing makes him happier than seeing a child succeed on the court," it states.
For now, Jordan Ambler's fight continues, a stark reminder of how suddenly life can change and of the vital, life-saving work performed in intensive care units every day.
