A former soldier has become a ‘human beer keg’ after a bizarre medical condition that causes his stomach to turn food into alcohol after every meal.
Ray Lewis, 48, suffers from Auto-brewery Syndrome (ABS), which can leave him paralytic after eating.
The former US army paratrooper, from Eugene, Oregon, lost his job as a truck driver after he overturned a vehicle ‘under the influence’ and is fighting a DUI conviction.
His wife Sierra even feared he was an alcoholic and banned him from accessing his bank account to buy drinks until he was eventually diagnosed after two years of ‘drunkenness’.
Unable to work, Mr Lewis is cared for by his wife and fitted with a GPS tracker in case he gets ‘intoxicated’ and wanders off.
He said: ‘Most people have laughed at us when we say the words “auto-brewery”. They only stop making jokes when they realise it is not a joke and that we are both suffering. It has the same physiological effects on the body as lifelong binge drinking.
‘I used to be an avid outdoorsman. But it’s almost impossible to lead that life now.’