Inspirational
Piers Morgan pledges £1,700 to brave meningitis survivor Harmonie-Rose, 6, after she completes 2.6 challenge
PIERS Morgan pledged to give meningitis survivor Harmonie-Rose £1,700 on today's Good Morning Britain after she completed an incredible challenge.
Yesterday the brave six-year-old, who lost all four limbs at 10-months-old, completed six activities she was told she would never be able to do.
She did each activity 26 times on the same day thousands of runners were due to run the 26 mile London Marathon course.
Piers vowed to match the £1,700 she had already raised for Meningitis Now, saying: "You know the truth, I couldn't do half the things that you did.
I can't do a cartwheel. I don't think I can run as fast as you. You're a better swimmer than me...
"Trampolining would be a disaster for me. I have to bow to the fact you're a superior athlete."
Susanna Reid added: "We'll all add to the pot Harmonie-Rose because what you've done is absolutely fantastic."
After the family's appearance on GMB donations rocketed to £12, 936 on Harmonie-Rose's .
Piers and Susanna have a long-running relationship with Harmonie-Rose, with her having appeared on the show a number of times before.
Viewers were left in "floods of tears" last Christmas as the presenters gave the youngster presents.
Harmonie-Rose showed off her walking skills with her purple prosthetic legs, leaving Piers feeling very emotional.
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Piers was completely won over by brave Harmonie-Rose, calling her his "number one favourite guest".
TV star Lizzy Cundy had been watching the segment from home and wrote on Twitter: "Woke up to the most gorgeous, beautiful little girl Harmony Rose with @piersmorgan @susannareid100 on @GMB .. brought tears to my eyes!"
Hundreds of others agreed, with one saying: "Just watching that beautiful little girl harmony rose today brought me to tears it’s moments like this we all need to take a long hard look at ourselves and where we can improve."
And another wrote: "Absolutely love the softer side to @piersmorgan"
Harmonie, from Bath, took up gymnastics and learnt to do a cartwheel despite teachers being worried she’d struggle to pick the sport up.
Proud mum Freya and dad Ross watched Harmonie take her first steps just ten days before she fell ill with the deadly meningitis B virus in 2014.
Doctors told them there was just a ten per cent chance of survival and Harmonie's was one of the worst cases of the killer bug they had ever seen.
Symptoms of meningitis
Meningitis can affect anyone but it's most common in babies, teens and young adults.
It's often mistaken for being flu and in some cases, people can seem hungover.
But the longer you leave it, the more at risk you become of things like blood poisoning - which can be fatal.
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:
- a high temperature (fever) of 38C or above
- being sick
- a headache
- a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but this will not always develop)
- a stiff neck
- a dislike of bright lights
- drowsiness or unresponsiveness
- fits (seizures)
You need to seek medical help ASAP.
Even when people do survive meningitis, it can leave them with life-long issues such as hearing or vision loss, epilepsy, amputations and memory problems.
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Since then the tot has had to re-learn how to feed herself, play and get around.
She was even given a doll with prosthetic arms and legs, just like her.
Last March she completed a half marathon – she tackled the 13.1-mile course with a seven-person support team, including two of her teachers and family, who took it in turns to push her special running chair
She was determined to cross the finish line all on her own and was cheered on by the thousands of spectators who had lined the route around Bath city centre as she completed the course in just over three hours.
Piers Morgan says he'll QUIT Good Morning Britain after his new two-year contract ends
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