American Doctor Who Survived Ebola Virus Talks About His Experience

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- An American doctor who was infected with the Ebola virus shares what that experience was like with members of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Alex DeMetrick reports, he almost didn't live to tell his story.

"It's such a pleasure to be here this morning, actually it's a pleasure to be anywhere," Dr. Ian Crozier said laughing.

That's because Dr. Crozier nearly died last September from Ebola.

He was working at a clinic in Sierra Leone when he became infected with the virus, and he knew firsthand what it could do.

"It does so with an aggression and at a pace that robs patients of their dignity. While we were prepared technically to care for patients, nothing prepared me for the daily devastation to individuals, to families and communities," he said.

He was flown to Atlanta for care at Emory University Hospital.  Unlike others brought to Maryland, his treatment remained hidden to the public to protect his family.

But now he shares his experience as an Ebola patient with others in the medical community.

Even providing a slide show at Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Crozier remembers nothing of his first three weeks at Emory. Only later did he learn how close he came to dying.

"Within the first week I developed this ominous phrase, multi-system organ failure, lung failure, kidney failure, brain failure. Given my experience my chances at survival were zero. The care that Emory provide in that setting completely changed my life." he said.

Next week, Crozier returns to Africa to help others fight back from the virus that nearly beat him.

He did not escape unscathed. The virus left him partially deaf and blind.