TOWIE star Jordan Brook has revealed that the prospect of becoming a father helped him survive a life-threatening bout of viral meningitis and encephalitis. The reality TV personality and barber entrepreneur spent 22 days in hospital after being diagnosed with one of the most severe cases of the illness.
Brook, who was initially misdiagnosed with a migraine by medics, later insisted that trusting his instincts saved his life. The virus caused his brain to swell at a dangerous rate, leading to personality changes and moments where he did not recognise himself. He shouted at a stranger in hospital for playing music too loudly—uncharacteristic behaviour for the normally placid star.
The 30-year-old credited his unborn son, due in ten weeks, for giving him the will to fight. Speaking about his two-year IVF journey with partner Sophie Kasaei, he said: 'He saved my life because becoming a father was the one thing I held onto and never forgot – even when the virus was actively changing who I was.'
After his discharge, Brook faced a slow recovery, initially unable to walk and suffering from muscle deterioration and fatigue. He continues to be monitored with regular MRI and CT scans to check for any permanent brain damage from scar tissue.
