“I really thought it was the end”: Death cap mushroom survivor breaks silence
The man who survived the poisoning effects of eating a death cap mushroom has spoken out, after consuming the deadly ingredients in a dish of spaghetti bolognese prepared by his wife.
The same toxic mushroom is now linked to a suspected poisoning in Victoria that has claimed the lives of three people.
The shocking incident occurred in 1998, when Simon Claringbold was a robust and athletic 39-year-old, who had an active lifestyle and regularly ran marathons.
Mr Claringbold told ABC’s 7.30 program that he picked the mushrooms in his backyard in Canberra earlier in the day, thinking they were field mushrooms, before discovering they were actually death caps.
His wife then cooked them into a spaghetti bolognese, and just 18 hours after eating the contaminated meal, his health took a turn for the worst.
Mr Claringbold was rushed to hospital after he became violently ill and started rapidly deteriorating, triggering an arduous battle for his life.
The toxic mushrooms Mr Claringbold ingested are understood to be the same variety in the recent poisoning, however, Mr Claringbold’s survival from the ordeal is believed to be sheer luck.
Medical experts have explained that death cap mushrooms can vary significantly in their toxicity, making it a game of chance for those who inadvertently ingest them.
“Their toxin levels aren’t going to be consistent; it’s not like taking a pill out of a bottle,” Mr Claringbold emphasised to 7.30, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the poison.
After presenting to the hospital with intense vomiting and diarrhoea, Mr Claringbold gave the hospital a sample of the mushroom to healthcare professionals, who tested the toxin.
His health continued to spiral as he encountered hallucinations, moments of blackout and major stress on his liver.
“I was preparing for the end, I really thought it was the end. The lights were starting to go out,” he recounted.
Remarkably, Mr Claringbold defied the odds, emerging from the ordeal after an 11-day hospitalisation.
Mr Claringbold’s story has come in the wake of the death of his parents, Gail and Don Patterson, and Gail’s sister-in-law Heather Wilkinson, who died after ingesting the same variety of mushroom.
Erin Patterson, the 48-year-old ex-wife of Simon Claringbold, allegedly prepared the meal, and had reportedly invited the family over for lunch to negotiate a reconciliation.
Image credits: ABC - 7.30