Life. He was doomed, his twin brother saved him

Original title: Life. Il était condamné, son jumeau l’a sauvé

Authors: , ,

Publication Date:

April 2018

Pages:

300

Original language and publisher

French | Allary Editions

Territories Handled

Worldwide excl. French

Genre

Health & Lifestyle

Life. He was doomed, his twin brother saved him

Original title: Life. Il était condamné, son jumeau l’a sauvé

Authors: , ,

  • 2 Seas Represents: World Excl. French
  • Over 8,500 copies sold

PERSONAL ACCOUNT

A book that’ll move you as well as leave you breathless.— L’Obs

A true account, an extraordinary story. — La Vie Devant Soi, Europe 1

A crazy, extraordinary story! — RMC

The account of an unusual medical venture. A miraculous journey. — C à vous

An extraordinary affair. — Salut les terriens, C8

An incredible story. — TF1

An out of the ordinary human venture. — Marc Olivier Fogiel, Europe 1​

A story about an extraordinary connection — La Croix 

300 intense but modest pages, the reader discovers true love and the harmony that exists between two brothers. This novel tells the story of their unusual relationship  Closer

An incredible medical adventure, full of courage, persistence and suffering.— La Dépêche

After suffering burns over 95% of his body, he was saved by a full-body skin graft from his twin– a medical world-first.

An operator in a chemicals factory, Franck was handling a canister of inflammable material one September morning in 2016 when an explosion set him alight. It left 95% of his body surface burned and his vital organs at risk. His chances of survival were nonexistent: no major burn victim touched over 60% had ever been saved. One of the only parts of his skin that remained intact bore the tattooed word: “Life”.

His brother Eric immediately stepped forward to say that he was ready to donate his skin. His declaration was met with embarrassed looks from the doctors: this sort of graft was impossible. It was time to mourn, or just about. Franck being “alive” at all was a miracle.

But Eric insisted: he wanted to donate… after all, he added by chance, he was Franck’s twin.

This word set something off in Professor Maurice Mimoun, the head of the Saint-Louis Hospital’s major burns unit: “A real twin?”

Everything was set in motion: genetic tests, an examination by the biomedical agency, authorizations from the state prosecutor… the green light was given for this worldwide medical premier: an almost complete skin graft.

Eric was “skinned alive” to help rescue his brother. And after months of uncertainty and struggle, Franck was indeed saved. The twins had overcome a certain death and were left happier, prouder and more alive than ever.

An exceptionally intense human adventure, set against the background of medical achievements.

Franck and Eric Dufourmantelle, 34 years-old, are twin brothers and live near Amiens in northern France. Franck works in a chemical plans. On September 26th 2016, an explosion left burns covering over 95% of his body. Eric works in a pharmaceutical company. 45% of his skin was removed to graft onto Franck.

Catherine Siguret, a writer and screenwriter, has close to fifty books both to her own name and ghost-written for celebrities.