Jason ‘Buddy’ Miller has first of two operations to remove hands and feet

A NORTHERN beaches ferry worker is having his hands amputated today. His feet will be removed in a second operation in the next few weeks. Despite his situation, you’ll never meet a more positive bloke.

Jason 'Buddy' Miller of Queenscliff is facing the amputation of his feet and hands after a battle with sepsis. Picture: Supplied.

• ‘A tick made me allergic to exercise’
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A MANLY ferry worker who will lose both his hands and feet after they suffered irreparable damage due to sepsis is about to go in for his first operation.

Jason Miller, known as ‘Buddy’, of Queenscliff, is due to undergo a 90 minute double hand amputation at Northern Beaches Hospital at around 4pm

His sister-in-law Kate Munn said the second operation to remove both feet would be within two to six weeks, depending on his recovery.

Jason 'Buddy' Miller of Queenscliff at Northern Beaches Hospital, showing his gangrene damaged hands, caused after he suffered a double infection. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Miller, who has been praised by doctors for his incredible positivity, told the Manly Daily before his operation: “This is the first step to getting on with the rest of my life.”

TO HELP BUDDY DONATE TO HIS GO FUND ME PAGE.

The 48-year-old single father went to hospital on October 31 with a sore throat and flu-like symptoms and collapsed in emergency.

Jason 'Buddy' Miller at Northern Beaches Hospital with his daughter Jhayda, 7. His family say his love for his daughter has pulled him through. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Miller had contracted two bacterial infections, the commonly found streptococcus and the rare aerococcus.

While they can be deadly on their own, the two combined led to severe septic shock, multiple organ failure and toxic shock syndrome.

Doctors can’t say how he contracted the infections, but that it was probably “just bad luck”.

Jason 'Buddy' Miller, 48, of Queenscliff, survived severe sepsis, attached to multiple machines to keep him alive in ICU at Northern Beaches Hospital. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Miller, who was the man in the Speedos in the 2016 Aldi Christmas advert and has been an extra in Home And Away, was then put in a medically induced coma where a team continued to frantically work on him.

After the family were told he had just a 10 per cent chance of survival they called a priest to read him his last rites and Jhayda, his seven-year-old daughter, was carried in to say goodbye to her daddy.

Jason 'Buddy' Miller, 48, of Queenscliff, with his beloved daughter Jhayda, 7, before his illness. Picture: Supplied.

At work on the Manly Ferry. Jason 'Buddy' Miller, 48, of Queenscliff, has worked on the ferry for 10 years and is a well-loved member of the team. Picture: Supplied.

Despite the odds Mr Miller pulled through without any brain damage, but suffered tissue damage to his hands and feet, due to his blood rushing to support his failing organs.

Mr Miller told the Manly Daily when he first woke up from the coma and saw his black hands and feet he thought: “Oh shit, I think they’re gone.”

While he was still intubated his family communicated via an alphabet board.

“We said do you know you will lose your hands and feet?” said his sister-in-law Kate Munn.

“And he spelt out ‘Paralympics’.”

Buddy, with his daughter Jhayda, 7, before his illness. Picture: Supplied.

His sister-in-law Kate Munn, of Fairlight said Mr Miller was nervous about the operation, but keen to get it done.

She said he was looking forward to the future and was just so pleased to be alive..

Mr Miller will need prosthetics and physiotherapy.

Ms Munn said the family were supporting him, but he would need funds for future medical bills.

The Hotel Steyne is holding a Superbowl fundraiser for Mr Miller on February 4, where money will be donated from sales of Budweiser buckets. To support Mr Miller with his future medical costs go to gofundme.com/ourbestbuddy.