John Gardner chewed on his fingernails constantly.
A doctor said his habit was so severe that his fingernails were “always in poor condition and often bleeding."
They think he was used to the pain involved and easily ignored it.
In September, one of the injuries he caused himself became infected, and things went downhill quickly from there.
Gardner, a football offical from England, was diagnosed with bacteria in his bloodstream, called septicemia.
He was initially treated with antibiotics and seemed to be improving after the top of his finger was amputated.
But just two weeks later he was dead from a heart attack that his surgeon called "upsetting and shocking."
Gardner didn’t show any outward signs of problems and seemed to be getting better at the time of his death.
His mother isn't buying the hospital's explanation of the death. She told the Mirror "there could've been more done to help him."
The family is suing the hospital.
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