Akil gets

DOCTORS gave him 12 hours to live but one year later 10- year-old Akil Wilson has returned to school and is already preparing for next year’s School Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination.

The Standard Four pupil of San Fernando Boys’ RC School was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in August last year at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.

His illness required an emergency liver transplant surgery, which could not be done in Trinidad.

Through the goodwill of FIFA’s vice president Jack Warner as well as relatives and friends, Akil, along with his parents Dean and Sharon, were flown to the University of Austal in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires. There, the 13- hour surgery was performed in January this year. Akil received his liver from one of his relatives residing in Trinidad. The recovery process has been a long and strenuous one, but worth every minute of it.

The once frail-looking Akil, who was forced to miss school because of his illness, has been reunited with his classmates.

Akil kept a smile on his face during the brief interview as he waited to be picked up by his father, Dean, in front of his school last Wednesday. He said he is now working towards passing for his first choice — Presentation College, San Fernando.

“I am feeling very good, I am happy!” Akil said as he hugged his younger sister Alysha. Akil then blushed and hid his face. His father, who was at his bedside with mom Sharon, said, “We would do it all over again for my son. Akil was at death’s door and he came back.”

“He was on life support and doctors gave him 12 hours to live, but my son proved them wrong.”

“There is a reason why Akil, is still with us.”