Parents screamed when they were told their young son may not survive after he collapsed suddenly.
Alex Darracott went to school as normal one morning, but by lunchtime, his parents Cris and Melissa received a devastating phone call to say Alex had collapsed suddenly. Despite the school initially thinking it could be heatstroke, the nine-year-old from St Helens was soon rushed to Whiston Hospital.
There, he was treated for a viral infection, but tests soon showed the schoolboy had suffered a suspected bleed on the brain and the next morning he was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
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Dad Cris has recalled the terrifying moment he and Melissa Penketh were sat in a room when doctors told them there was "little hope". He told the ECHO: "They said they would try their best to save his life.
"You could hear Melissa scream from outside the hospital it was that loud. He'd gone to school like a normal little boy, and later Melissa got a call to say he'd complained of headaches and when she got there he collapsed."
Young Alex, who is a keen footballer and the grandson of the late Everton footballer Terry Darracott, underwent an eight hour operation to remove a large blood clot. But despite being given a 20% chance of survival, he has "defied the odds".
Doctors told his parents he would likely have irreversible brain damage and would be in a coma for several days and in hospital for several weeks. But incredibly, Alex was awake within hours and breathing on his own.
Cris added: "He's a fighter. He should've been in hospital for three weeks but he was out in eight days. They saved his life, we were sat there thinking our son was going to die, it was overwhelming.
"But hours later the doctor said he was awake. He was supposed to be in a coma while the swelling went down on his brain but he woke up and pulled the tube out. A day later he was complaining of the bandage on his head so they took that off.
"Every day then he made a miraculous recovery. He was up and talking and was kicking a ball around in physio when he should've been lying in bed. It's unbelievable. We owe that hospital our lives, I'm amazed at what they did.
"They removed a big piece of his skull and he has a proper war wound but he's here now in the garden in his Everton kit, kicking the ball around."
A Gofundme page had been set up to help the family, some of whom were travelling to and from hospital every day. Over £700 has so far been raised for the family to help Alex in his recovery.
Cris said: "He's just getting on with his life like nothing happened, but we are constantly on edge. Everyone says their kids are special, but I look at him and he is, you just know.
"He wants to play for Everton like his grandad. He's lucky to be alive, we caught it just in time but it can happen to anyone. You don't expect your kid to be rushed to hospital but hold them close and love them because it can happen to anyone at any time."
Young Alex is now home and continuing his recovery journey but physically, he continues to amaze those around him.
Mum Melissa added: "It's surreal what happened but he's recovered well. We won't know the extend of any damage for a while, physically he seems fine but we will have to wait and see what effects it's had on his brain. He's so brave, he's taken it all in his stride."
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