I didn’t know I was seriously ill. As a college student, I assumed the fever and fatigue were temporary — something I could push through. Instead, within hours of going to the hospital, my family was told I might not live through the night. What began as mild symptoms became meningococcal disease, a rare but highly aggressive bacterial infection that violently attacks the bloodstream.
I survived, but at an unimaginable cost. I lost both legs below the knees and my fingers. My life changed forever in a matter of days.
For the last few months, I have been meeting with Florida lawmakers, speaking with community leaders, and recently testifying before the Florida Department of Health — because what happened to me is preventable, and decisions being made here could determine whether other families face the same outcome…