Man with flu paralysed in 15 minutes and may never walk again

He had been fighting flu for two weeks when he suddenly started feeling worse and was rushed to hospital

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A man went from fighting flu symptoms to becoming paralysed in the space of just 15 minutes and fears he may never walk again. Tinus Greyling has been battling flu for almost two weeks when he was rushed to hospital with a severe fever.

Before he knew it, he was paralysed from the chest down and unable to control his bladder or bowels due to a condition doctors believe was triggered by the flu. “It was a shock,” said Tinus. “I had no idea what was going on with my body. Before this I was living full throttle.

“Megan and I had plans to start a new chapter in Ireland, to be closer to family living there. I was active and independent.”

The 35-year-old software engineer and his wife Megan, 32, had suffered with severe flu symptoms after attending a wedding of friends in July 2025. The two saw a doctor and were told they had the flu, and just three days later Tinus was back at the office – but by the second week, he was feeling far worse.

He said: “It was the worst fever I’ve experienced. My muscles were sore – whether I sat or stood I was in pain.”

Tinus started wondering if it was something more than flu, such as tick-bite fever or Covid. On August 9, he saw a different doctor, who prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic to try to deal with whatever was going on.

Just hours later, his right hip started to ache and he knew he “needed to get to hospital.” With Megan still unwell, his friends took Tinus, from Centurion, South Africa, to the hospital, where things continued to deteriorate and he was given a wheelchair due to the pain he was in.

He says he was sat in excruciating pain and slowly felt the life draining from his legs, within 15 minutes as he became systematically paralysed. By the following morning, Tinus was paralysed from the chest down and, as the days went on, was sent for tests and scans to check for everything from bacteria, viruses, and parasites to autoimmune diseases.

Megan said: “I prayed until my knees were raw. I thought I was going to lose my husband.”

Tinus added: “In hospital I just lived day by day. I knew there was no point in stressing – it wouldn’t be good for my health.”

Eventually, Tinus was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a condition that causes inflammation of the spinal cord and nerves, which explains his paralysis. According to the medical report, it was most likely the flu that triggered it. Tinus said: “I had the influenza A virus and had an autoimmune reaction because my body thought it had to fight against it. My spine then swelled and compressed the vertebrae.”

Doctors told Tinus that the condition is incurable and they don’t know if he’ll be able to walk again, that only time would tell. He added: “I think they just didn’t want to give me false hope.”

Tinus remained in hospital for three months and was treated with high-dose steroids, immune therapy and plasma infusions. He also spent six weeks in a rehabilitation hospital for physio and occupational therapy, and needed to learn to dress himself, brush his teeth and navigate his wheelchair in public life.

Tinus decided to accept his new circumstances, rather than letting himself sink into a depression. He said: “I choose to stay positive, especially for the people around me. Because I can see how hard it is for them too.”

However, Megan still struggles to make sense of the new circumstances and how quickly her husband’s life changed.

She added: “How could flu cause this? I was sick too but here I am now, healthy.”

Now, Tinus has been home for several months but still finds each day a challenge. Megan and her friends have teamed up to help, as she says she is just relieved her ‘best friend’ is back with her. She added: “The house was so quiet and cold. I never want to relive that.”

Tinus says he feels mostly gratitude and he’s grateful he can do his job from home. He added: “I can still use my arms and hands. Yes, I can’t walk, but I’m alive.”

Technology is a large part of his life and he believes it will help him – based on his own research, he’s had his spinal cord and stem cells harvested. He said: “Conventional medicine stabilised me, but stem cell therapy is where hope lies. My expectations are realistic, not wishful thinking.”

However, stem cell therapy, catheters, chronic medication, therapy all costs far more than his medical aid covers, which is why a colleague started a fundraiser for him – and it’s being generously supported.

Tinus says he still believes he’ll walk again. He added: “Our dream of having children is what encourages me to get up every day and fight this illness.”