Marksofficial

By Double M

My book is dedicated to the Meningitis Research Foundation as I’ve had meningitis at an early age myself. All my proceedings from this book is for the Meningitis Research Foundation. I’ve always felt indebted for my lucky escape, so if there is any way of helping, I would feel honoured to be part of it. For the years of writing my autobiography, there were two reasons why I had been doing this: (1) to tell my kids my story (someday) and (2) to help others in understanding what I have been through throughout my time. And if that means helping others, then my job has been done. With regard to raising money for the charity, I hope my book would be a start.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: May 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728388410

Double M

Mark John Phillips is a writer, actor, producer, and director. He is also the author of Salvage Humanity.

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© 2019 Double M. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/16/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-8840-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-8841-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Beginning

Chapter 2 School

Chapter 3 Bistro

Chapter 4 Factory Story

Chapter 5 First Agency

Chapter 6 Dan and I

Chapter 7 Trip Away

Chapter 8 Hospitality

Chapter 9 Love Life

Chapter 10 Mac

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

The idea of writing this book came months before I thought about modelling. It was the idea to tell my story to the people who never knew me. Also, I could help raise awareness of who I was, who I am, who I want to be—to tell you about my dreams and about how much they mean to me and how accomplishing them made me feel a little trapped.

I wanted to be who I couldn’t be. What I mean by that is that people didn’t believe in me and my disability. If I went to every person I knew and said that I would love to be a model, people would just laugh in my face. Why did you want to be a model? you might say. Well, as you read my story and what I went through, you will see why. I wanted to be a role model, someone who inspired others, and that was a good place to start.

For anyone thinking of telling their life story and writing a book, take it from me—when writing a book about your life, you have to start at the youngest age possible. That’s why I am starting it when I do. I was 2–3 years old when my story begins.

To those who don’t know what lol means (because I use that a lot in this book), lol means laughing out loud. I also wanted my autobiography to be scheduled before Christmas or New Year 2019, but hey, when does my schedule ever come true lol (like the lotto)?

I’ve tried to remember most things in my life to include in my book. Some things I haven’t. Only the things that have morally hurt me in my life deserve to be in this book. I’ve enjoyed writing this because it gave me a chance to think back to my earlier days and how things hurt me. My story begins when I was struck with the illness of meningitis and how I was near the edge of not being who I am today. It is also about my school days, when I was not really stood on but pushed to one side because I was different, a joke to everyone. It concludes with my life afterwards and how my journey began to be the best that I could be.

Thank you, and I hope you will enjoy reading the book.

CHAPTER 1

THE BEGINNING

I remember all the stories that my mum, Jackie, used to tell me about my meningitis—about how I was struck with the virus when I was 2 years old. I fell into a coma from it, and the doctors easily gave up on me after a few days of treatment.

It was two weeks before Christmas 1979. Dad was at work, and I wasn’t feeling so good. My mum thought about cancelling a Christmas bingo night with the Morris dancing group, as it had been arranged for the girls to enjoy themselves on their night out. Luckily, my nan popped round and was told by Mum that she wouldn’t be able to go. My nan said, Well, why don’t you go, have a couple of hours, and I’ll stay here to look after Mark?

So Mum phoned the family doctor, Dr Kenny, to examine my throat and take my temperature. The doctor took one look at my chest, which was covered in a red rash, and confirmed that I had measles. A few hours later, Mum felt a lot better about my temperature. Also, measles wasn’t that serious. It felt normal to her, and she felt safe leaving Nan with me.

Mum went out for the night with the group. Nan saw me start to convulse on the sofa an hour after Mum left. In a panic, Nan she ran out of the house and straight to a house across the street, asking for help. Terry, one of six brothers who lived there, answered the door. Nan explained what had just happened.

Don’t worry. Tell me where Jackie is, and I will go get her.

So Terry went to go get Mum from her night out, while John, the second brother, drove Nan and me straight to the hospital. My aunt and uncle were the third people to know, from a phone call from my nan within the hospital. Sounding upset on the phone, Nan explained to my aunt and uncle that they should come to the hospital as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Terry looked for Mum. When my aunt and uncle arrived, they saw my nan sitting on her own. They asked her what had happened. The doctor had said that all they could do was wait for more information. Mum arrived at the hospital after Terry finally found her. She walked through the doors; went past my nan, my aunt, and my uncle; and went straight to the nurse.

What’s going on with my son? she asked.

We had to perform a lumbar puncture to see the extent of the illness. We suspect it’s meningitis, the nurse said. We need to run more tests to see if the fluid is clear or not.

Not long after that, Dad arrived home from work, hearing that I had been rushed to the hospital from our neighbour. My mum went to speak with Nan. It wasn’t long before the whole street heard the news of my illness. They couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t be easy for any parent to hear that their child has a fatal virus, such as meningitis.

Mr Phillips, I am afraid to tell you that it’s meningitis. Please expect the worst.

Apart from her breast-cancer diagnosis on 1 December 2005, Mum said that hearing I had meningitis was the worst feeling she had ever experienced.

We had to sedate him to settle him. He is now in a coma. He is doing very poorly. Even if he does pull through, there is a possibility he may have brain damage, he may be deaf, or he may be permanently handicapped. He may experience brain loss, and he may not remember you, the doctor said.

I was diagnosed with a fatal disease known as meningococcal meningitis. I know, any kind of meningitis can be fatal, but meningococcus was a rare bacteria at that time. I remember my mum saying to me when I was twenty-two that when we heard the diagnosis from the professionals, she and my dad both came home and started to cry. I mean, in 1979, when all this happened, my dad played American football for the St Helens Cardinals, and I am telling you that he wasn’t a pushover. He weighed fifteen stone of muscle. This wasn’t a man you would see crying if you saw him score a touchdown.

At the time, my mum was four