PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Nicholas Cornelius is suffering from the West Nile virus.
"It really is shocking, that is the littlest thing, this tiny bug can put you in the dirt," said Nicholas Cornelius.
A few days after being bit by a mosquito near his home at 43rd Avenue and Greenway he came down with flu-like symptoms, followed by paralysis in his legs. His wife rushed him to the hospital where he's been for nearly two weeks.
"My left leg started shutting down first like where I couldn't put weight on it; I could barely walk. Then my right leg never fully went all the way away but still there's like barely any muscle in there," he said.
After numerous tests, doctors discovered he was suffering from the West Nile Virus. The CDC says less than 1 percent of people who get West Nile have symptoms like Cornelius's.
Cornelius continues to recover in the hospital and is trying to regain his strength.
"I walk back and forth to the door two times a day and it really, I'm sweaty. It's crazy from two weeks ago I could run around with my kids, and now I can't even walk," said Cornelius.
Aside from the physical symptoms of the virus, he says the hardest part is being away from his wife and two kids.
"I just miss them a lot. I just want to get better and get out of here so I can just be with my family. I haven't seen them in two weeks. You take so many things for granted in life. I just want to get out and get better," he said.
Cornelius has setup a GoFundMe page to help with his medical expenses, if you'd like to help visit: http://gofundme.com/2bvrmrg