Damien Martyn is awake and talking, one week after being placed into an induced coma in a Gold Coast hospital with meningitis. The 54-year-old former cricketer has been able to speak with friends and family, including ex-teammate Adam Gilchrist, and is said to be overwhelmed by the support.
“It’s been an unbelievable turn of events in the last 48 hours,” Gilchrist said. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment. He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out of the coma to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle.” Gilchrist added that Martyn’s family are hopeful he will soon move out of intensive care.
Martyn fell ill suddenly late last month and was rushed to hospital. He had been posting on social media about the Ashes on Christmas Eve before falling ill with meningitis, an infection and swelling of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Cricket icons including VVS Laxman and Michael Vaughan sent their best wishes.
Born in Darwin, Martyn made his Test debut at 21 and played 67 Tests. He also featured in 208 ODIs, scoring an unbeaten 88 in the 2003 World Cup final as Australia defeated India. He retired from Tests midway through the 2006/07 Ashes series.
