An Iowa State student is “fortunate to be alive” after an attack of botulism that kept him in the hospital for six months.

Sammy Ho, junior in management information systems, is recovering from the life-threatening illness at the home of Larry Bradshaw, assistant professor of industrial education and technology, and his wife, Glenda. He came under their care on Monday, when he was discharged from Mary Greeley Medical Center, 1111 Duff Ave.

“He’s doing really well,” Glenda Bradshaw said. “He still has a lot of weakness and that type of thing, but he’s adjusting.”

Bradshaw said Ho contracted botulism, a paralyzing disease caused by tainted food, from hash browns that were stored in a plastic shrink container. He thought it was safe to put them on a shelf, but the container was airtight — a perfect environment for botulism to grow. He heated it up but not enough to kill the bacteria.

“He didn’t even swallow it,” she said. “He spat it out.”

Still, the botulism got into Ho’s saliva. He started vomiting and then suddenly realized he couldn’t swallow. “He called 911, or he’d probably have died from it,” Bradshaw said.

“By the time I really knew I was getting botulism, I was bedridden,” Ho said.

Bradshaw said the disease caused total paralysis. “He couldn’t even open his eyes for two weeks,” she said.

Ho was on a respirator for two months and in intensive care for three months.

“Life was basically hell,” Ho said. “I thought I was going to die.”

Bradshaw said the doctors believe it will take a year for Ho to fully recover.

Ho is walking on even ground well, but walking on uneven terrain is difficult for him, Bradshaw said. Ho has only been able to talk for about a month.

“There was so much frustration during the period when he couldn’t express himself at all,” she said.

Ho described how the hospital gave him a caller button, and hospital workers thought he could press it for help. However, if the caller was too high or too low, he couldn’t reach it.

“I couldn’t laugh. I couldn’t cry. Worst of all, I couldn’t even express when I was in pain,” he said. “I’ve been through a lot of pain. The pain is very unbearable.”

Ho said it is very painful to walk because of his lack of exercise during the last six months.

“Even right now, I’m on the road to recovery,” he said.

Bradshaw said she and her husband did not know Ho at the time he became ill, but Ho had been involved in the Singapore Student Association, of which Larry Bradshaw is the faculty adviser, and the international office called him to ask for help.

“As he began to progress, it was very evident that he couldn’t live by himself for a while,” Glenda Bradshaw said.

Ho said he is grateful for the Bradshaws’ help.

“They’re treating me like a son,” he said. “I’m very thankful.”

Bradshaw said Ho goes to physical therapy three times a week, and she and her husband are finding clothes for him. She said if he still needs help when the spring semester starts, they will be taking him to and from classes.

Ho said people need to be thankful for their ability to move.

“Even opening the eyes, moving the fingers, moving the legs is a blessing from God,” he said. “It’s precious. Don’t destroy it.”