A Michigan schoolgirl contracted a severe flesh-eating bacteria following a seemingly mild case of the flu, leading to a coma.
Earlier this year, 10-year-old Kennedy Mayer was initially diagnosed with influenza and appeared to be on the mend. However, a week later, she began experiencing severe eye pain, and her eye became significantly swollen. “It looked like she had been punched in the eye,” said Kennedy’s mother, Meghan Mayer.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Kennedy had entered septic shock, a critical condition where the immune system’s extreme response disrupts blood and oxygen flow throughout the body. To protect her lungs from failing, Kennedy had to be placed in a coma.
In March, Kennedy Mayer from Michigan was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis following an infection with influenza B.
Kennedy was put into a medically induced coma for eight days as the tissue in her toes and part of her face began to die.
The sepsis was caused by necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease—a severe bacterial infection that rapidly spreads and destroys healthy tissue.
Doctors were unable to identify the exact source of the infection but suspect it may have been a secondary infection that developed while Kennedy was ill with the flu.
To address the gangrenous tissue, doctors had to remove large sections of skin around her right eye, which had begun to decay.
In March 2024, Kennedy was admitted to her local hospital, intubated, and placed in a medically induced coma for eight days due to her worsening condition.
While Kennedy’s mother did not specify the exact medications or treatments used, many sepsis patients receive vasopressors to address low blood pressure and redirect blood flow to vital organs. Unfortunately, this can reduce circulation to less critical areas like the arms and legs, leading to tissue death and sometimes necessitating amputations.
Kennedy soon experienced multi-organ failure and was rushed into surgery. Her family feared the worst, as Ms. Mayer shared on the family’s GoFundMe page: “We said goodbye to our girl for what we thought might be our last time.”
Since then, Kennedy has undergone eight surgeries, including a toe amputation and a skin graft to cover the extensive cavity in her face left by the removal of necrotizing fasciitis. She is now left with a significant scar.
The CDC estimates that between 700 and 1,150 cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur in the US each year, with a mortality rate of about 20%. This condition typically arises when bacteria such as group A Streptococcus, E. coli, or Clostridium enter the body through open wounds, rapidly multiplying in tissues and blood vessels around the joints, leading to tissue death.
However, Kennedy had no visible cuts or injuries, leading doctors to suspect she contracted strep A while battling the flu. Strep A can also spread person-to-person through respiratory droplets from an infected individual.
Kennedy spent 52 days in the hospital, during which she focused on recovery and relearned how to walk and talk.
Kennedy is currently focused on regaining her mobility and preparing for the amputation of five more toes.
Ms. Mayer, a teacher, said, “Somehow, this situation led to necrotizing fasciitis developing in her face. Kennedy’s case has defied all expectations and has even puzzled some of the top doctors at the hospital. Every organ has been affected, and we still face ongoing concerns, but we’re taking it one day at a time and continuing to pray.”
About one in five cases of necrotizing fasciitis result in amputations. For Kennedy, this included her big toe last month, and she will need to have five more toes amputated in the coming months.
Kennedy spent 52 days in the hospital, including time in inpatient rehab where she had to relearn how to use her arms and legs and walk again. Many sepsis patients experience muscle atrophy, making basic functions like walking difficult.
Now, her family is focused on improving her mobility and preparing for any additional surgeries she may need. It remains uncertain if Kennedy will be able to return to in-person school.
“Every morning, I wake up hoping this is all just a terrible nightmare, but I’m grateful for how much she has healed,” Ms. Mayer said. “We’re just so thankful she’s still here.”
