Weymouth man, a volunteer in experiments, dies at 27

[Ian David]

By Bryan Marquard, Globe Staff

Speaking from a wheelchair that granted him the luxury of independent movement, Matt Nagle downplayed the suggestion that it took courage to let neuroscientists use his body as research laboratory.

"I'm not brave at all," he told the Globe a little more than a year ago. The experiments, he said, might prove beneficial for others who are paralyzed. "I was happy I could help; it was very humbling to be able to do that."

Where he saw humility, others saw heroism. Stabbed in the neck when he tried to help friends who had found themselves in a brawl, Mr. Nagle was paralyzed six years ago. Refusing to accept that he would never walk again or breathe without a ventilator, he volunteered for experimental treatments. Electrodes implanted in his body allow him to operate a robotic hand, play computer games, and at last to breathe on his own.

On July 16, a day after his weekly trip home for Sunday dinner with his family in Weymouth, Mr. Nagle slipped into a coma and was diagnosed with sepsis, a systemic infection that affects the entire body. He died Monday in Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton.


Matt Nagle was a patient in two ground-breaking brain surgeries. (Handout Photo)

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/07/weymouth_man_a_1.html

What the fuck did he go to Good Samaritan for? Everyone knows that ever since they had that fire, they've never been able to stop outbreaks of post-operative infections. What the fuck? I mean, poor kid. But nobody CHOOSES to go to Good Sam for anything invasive.

Once again, great fucking job, Good Samaritan.