Overview:
Martyn came out of coma and quickly showed signs of recovery, speaking clearly and walking again, leaving medical staff surprised.
Former Australian batter Damien Martyn has opened up after recovering from meningitis. He was rushed to a Gold Coast medical facility on December 26 when his deteriorated, prompting immediate treatment for the serious infection.
After being admitted to intensive care unit, Damien Martyn made a speedy recovery and was discharged from hospital. The former Australia batter opened up in a moving message, sharing his experience and offering thanks to the healthcare workers who helped save his life.
“This post is A BIG thank you to ALL my family, friends and so many other people who have reached out to me!On the 27th of December 2025 my life was taken out of my hands…when meningitis took over my brain, & unbeknownst to me I was placed into a paralysed coma for 8 days to help me fight this awful disease. And that I did! Fight that is!….” he posted on his X account.
In his message, Martyn said the severity of his illness meant doctors had to take full charge, warning that the outcome could have gone either way.
“After being given a 50/50 chance of surviving, I came out of the induced coma 8 days later…not able to walk or talk. And yet 4 days after that, with the doctors in disbelief, I walked, I talked and proved to them all why I should be released from hospital to start my recovery. So happy to be home, to be able to put my feet in the sand on the beach and to start thanking all those people that reached out to me and my family in their unwavering support,” he added.
This post is A BIG thank you to ALL my family, friends and so many other people who have reached out to me!
— Damien Martyn🏏 (@damienmartyn) January 17, 2026
On the 27th of December 2025 my life was taken out of my hands…when meningitis took over my brain, & unbeknownst to me I was placed into a paralysed coma for 8 days to… pic.twitter.com/3Mt3DS6MZY
Martyn came out of coma and quickly showed signs of recovery, speaking clearly and walking again, leaving medical staff surprised.
“This experience has reminded me of how fragile life is, how quickly everything can change & how precious time is!.There are so many wonderful people in this world … from paramedics (at Mermaid Waters Ambulance), doctors & nurses (at Gold Coast University Hospital) … to family, friends and people I didn’t even know. I feel like I met all these fantastic people in the past 3 weeks, or they reached out to me through messages of love and support. So happy to be home, to be able to put my feet in the sand on the beach and to start thanking all those people that reached out to me and my family in their unwavering support. I am so grateful to you all. Thank you! Bring on 2026 …I’m back,” he concluded.