INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Zach Motal Believes Gulf Waters At Fort Myers Beach Cost Him His Leg

By Dawn Papple
Published on: 01:58 PST, May 9, 2015

Zach Motal says that walking in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in Fort Myers Beach caused him to lose his leg after what is described as a “flesh-eating bacteria” engulfed his limb. Zach says that only 11 hours after his walk on the beach, he was in excruciating pain. Motal says that he was in so much pain that he thought he might have broken his foot. Doctors told Zach that he had necrotizing fasciitis, also called a “flesh-eating infection.” Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by many types of bacteria. The Inquisitr recently reported on another alleged victim of the Gulf’s bacteria. Like Motal, Gregory Bru Sr. also had to have his limb amputated, but unlike Motal, Gregory’s leg was lost to Vibrio vulnificus. According to doctors, Zach Motal’s infection tested positive for group A streptococcus.

Zach Motal told ABC News that he got the infection that destroyed his leg after wading in waters in Fort Myers Beach in Florida.

Motal needed seven surgeries to remove all of the infected flesh. Eventually, Motal was forced to have his leg amputated. He said that it looked like something out of a horror movie. Motal shared pictures of the foot he had to have removed. Zach told the press that in all, his leg had nearly 2,500 stitches. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Pranav Shah, of Lee Memorial Hospital, said Motal’s infection could have come from anywhere. Shah also said that Motal’s infection would not have gotten so severe if he hadn’t already been suffering from diabetes. According to the Daily Mail, by the time Zach arrived in the operating room, his swollen foot was covered in giant red blisters.

Thursday, Motal told an ABC reporter that he hopes to move to a rehabilitation hospital soon and that a company has donated a prosthetic leg. On Facebook, clean water activist John G. Heim says that he was in part responsible for connecting Motal with a prosthetic specialist who agreed to donate the prosthesis, crediting the clean water movement’s strong network. The prosthetic leg was reportedly delivered to Zach in the hospital on Friday.

Zach Motal says his strep A infection was cause by the Gulf of Mexico waters. Zach Mody.
Zach Motal received a prosthetic leg thanks to a generous donor.

Health experts warn people with open wounds to be cautious when enjoying the Gulf of Mexico beaches in Florida, but Island Sand Paper reports that the water in Fort Myers is fine. Recent water tests of the beach in Fort Myers in the area where Zach Motal says he was exposed did not show dangerous levels of any flesh-eating bacteria.

[Photos via ABC News Video, Facebook]

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