When Alex Lewis came down with what seemed like a common cold, he never in a million years would have believed it would lead to him losing his arms, his legs and part of his face.

alex before the infection
Alex was an able bodied 6ft guy before the infection (Screengrab/Channel 4)

As his flu-like symptoms got worse and his body started turning purple, he was rushed to hospital to be told that, somehow, he had contracted Strep A – an extremely rare bacterial infection that causes toxic shock syndrome, where the body begins to attack itself from the inside out.

The documentary followed Alex around as he continued to adjust to his new daily life since he fell ill almost two years ago.

alex after the infection
The disease claimed his arms, legs and lips (Screengrab/Channel 4)

Viewers found the scenes very emotional, especially the ones involving his young son Sam.

They thought Alex – who needs constant care and assistance – was a true inspiration for accepting his situation as best as he can and not letting it get in the way of being a doting dad.

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And they were truly in awe of his partner Lucy who said she has never even considered walking away from Alex because her love for him is just too strong.

The show put things into perspective for viewers as to how fragile and unpredictable life really is.

The show finished with a beautiful shot of the family riding together in the countryside as they discussed how they hope to raise the £3million they estimate they will need to take care of Alex for the rest of his life.

the family riding together
The inspirational family moved many viewers to tears (Screengrab/Channel 4)

Well, the family might be about to feel the full extent of the internet’s power to do good as donations flood in for the Alex Lewis Trust, with some funding pages down supposedly due to high traffic.