'I just pray he can come home' - Baby loses all four limbs in fight for life

'We've been through hell and back. But he's a fighter and he shows us all not to quit.'

Kamil Williams, from Philadelphia, PA, was a happy 10-month-old baby who seemed to be suffering the symptoms of pneumonia.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - When his parents, Portia Hasan and Mustafa Williams, took him to the hospital, he was kept overnight for observation.

Little Kamil's health rapidly deteriorated overnight and he was immediately moved to intensive care, where he was treated for respiratory failure.

The tiny boy was put on life support and doctors told his parents he only had a 10-20 percent chance of survival.

Speaking to The Sun, Portia described: "We've been through hell and back. But he's a fighter and he shows us all not to quit.

"...He was always such a happy baby so we instantly knew something was wrong. At first the doctors thought it was pneumonia, but it wasn't and it was really scary not knowing what was wrong."

Little Kamil was given emergency surgery for abdominal compartment syndrome, but doctors were unable to find the reason behind his rapid deteriorating health.

Finally, Kamil was diagnosed with septic shock, which the Mayo Clinic describes as an infection that is usually accompanied by a fever, high heart rate and a high respiratory rate.

If left untreated, it can harm the organs, resulting in a severe decrease of urine output, decreased blood platelet count, difficulty breathing, abnormal heart pumping functions and abdominal pain - many of which are also symptoms of pneumonia.

Kamil was given antibiotics to stop the septic shock from worsening. He was also given blood pressure medication, which reduced blood flow to his limbs, resulting in the necessity to amputate his hands and lower legs.

"It was a very emotional time," Portia said. "But watching how he has thrived without limbs has just been a miracle. I just pray he can come home so we can all be together again."

Though he has been hospitalized for over a year, the nearly 2-year-old continues to surprise medical staff with his swift recovery and joyous attitude.

He became an Instagram star with over 21,000 followers, all supporting him and his family @just.kamil_

The family has created a GoFundMe account to raise money for prosthetics and medical expenses.

"He's been in hospital for over a year now and it's been hard for the family but he's our little superman," Portia explained.

"We don't know how he got [septic shock], but more should be done to spread awareness for this terrible infection," she continued. "We're just so thankful the doctors caught it in time."

According to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with severe sepsis each year.

Between 28 and 50 percent of these people die from it. It is a difficult illness to diagnose but part of the fight against septic shock, also called sepsis, is spreading awareness.

Sepsis is usually contracted following other medical conditions, such as a lung, urinary tract, skin, or abdomen infection. Some bacteria, fungi or viruses can also cause it but the most common are bacteria.

Everyone can contract sepsis but those with weakened immune systems, children, infants, and the elderly are most vulnerable.

Anyone with chronic illnesses or who have suffered severe burns or physical trauma are also at risk.

When caught in time, sepsis is treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, oxygen, IV fluids and, depending on the case, may include surgery, dialysis or mechanical ventilation.

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