Paralysed Pretoria teen loses battle to rare muscle disorder
Giovanni Hendriks was making progress after being diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, but suffered a major setback.
Giovanni Hendriks in hospital. Photo: Supplied
A Pretoria west teenager lost his battle to Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) this week.
Giovanni Hendriks, 18, of Danville, was diagnosed with the syndrome recently after he suffered a full-body paralysis in February.
His father, Giani told Pretoria Moot Rekord that their son died on Monday morning at 5.45am.
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Pretoria Moot Rekord previously reported that Giovanni, who was diagnosed with GBS nine years ago, was starting to make a medical turnaround.
GBS is a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside the brain and spinal cord.
When he fell sick again, the family could not believe that Giovanni could have GBS because “it was not supposed to return”.
He was, however, diagnosed with the syndrome shortly after.
“… He came home [from school] and said he felt drained, adding that it was like he had no strength left in him,” said his mother.
Elize said within half an hour, Giovanni’s condition worsened.
Giovanni had suffered a setback on June 23 where his heart stopped for an hour and 15 minutes, the week he was expected to be discharged from hospital.
The next Wednesday, doctors discovered that he had had no brain activity for ten days.
The next day, doctors informed his family that there was nothing they could do for him medically anymore.
On Saturday, his father told Pretoria Moot Rekord that Giovanni was showing progress and doctors planned to wake him up from his coma but then Giovanni suddenly died.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
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