 "Damien Martyn was hospitalised after he fell ill late last month. Image: X/Martyn")
Former Australian batting star Damien Martyn has shared a heartfelt update on his health, nearly three weeks after falling seriously ill with meningitis. The 54-year-old explained on social media on January 17, 2026, how he fought a life-threatening illness and is now on the path to recovery.
Martyn revealed late last year that meningitis took over his brain, and he was placed in a paralysed coma for eight days to help fight the infection. Doctors gave him only a 50/50 chance of surviving, but Martyn amazed everyone by waking up from the induced coma and, just four days later, walking and talking again.
“So happy to be home, to be able to put my feet in the sand on the beach and to start thanking all those people that reached out to me and my family in their unwaivering support,” he wrote.
The former World Cup winner called the experience a reminder of “how fragile life is, how quickly everything can change & how precious time is.” He said the past few weeks introduced him to “so many wonderful people,” from hospital staff at Gold Coast University Hospital to messages of support from people he didn’t even know.
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View AllMartyn’s illness was first reported on December 27, 2025, when he was hospitalised . At the time, former teammate Adam Gilchrist confirmed that Martyn was in an induced coma and fighting for his life, with his family receiving prayers and messages of support from across the world.
Martyn made his Australia debut at 21 in the 1992-93 series against West Indies. He scored 4,406 runs in 67 Tests at an average of 46.37 and 5,346 runs in 208 ODIs at 40.80. He hit 18 international hundreds, including 13 in Tests, with his highest score of 165 against New Zealand in 2005.
Fans share messages of encouragement
Martyn retired from Test cricket midway through the 2006-07 Ashes series and later became a commentator, staying active on social media. His latest post is garnering a lot of support from fans, who are celebrating his remarkable recovery and sending messages of encouragement.