Michigan girl, 10, falls into COMA and has part of her face removed after simple flu takes a terrifying turn

A Michigan schoolgirl contracted a deadly flesh-eating bacteria that left her in a coma after contracting the common flu.

Earlier this year, a 10-year-old boy from Kennedy Mayer was diagnosed with influenza and appeared to be recovering normally.

But after a week, she complained of severe eye pain and her eye was completely swollen. “She looked like she had been punched in the eye,” said Kennedy’s mother, Meghan Mayer.

By the time they were rushed to the hospital, Kennedy had gone into septic shock, a life-threatening overreaction of the immune system that cuts off blood and oxygen from flowing to the body.

Kennedy had to be put into a coma to prevent her lungs from failing.

Kennedy was placed in a medically induced coma for eight days as tissue in her toes and part of her face died

The sepsis was caused by necrotizing fasciitis, also called flesh-eating disease, a serious bacterial infection that spreads quickly and kills healthy tissue.

Doctors could not find a cause, but suspected it was a secondary infection she had contracted while sick with the flu.

Doctors had to remove chunks of skin around her right eye, which had rotted and caused gangrene.

In March 2024, Kennedy was admitted to a local hospital, intubated and placed in a medically induced coma for eight days.

As her condition worsened, doctors transferred her to C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Although her mother did not specifically mention what medications or treatments she was receiving, many sepsis patients are given medications called vasopressors to combat low blood pressure and redirect blood back to vital organs.

However, when this happens, circulation to non-vital areas such as the arms and legs is cut off, causing tissues to die, sometimes resulting in amputations.

Kennedy suffered multi-organ failure and underwent emergency surgery.

Her family “said goodbye to our baby girl for what we thought at that time might be the last time,” Ms. Mayer said in the family statement. GoFundMe page.

Kennedy has now had eight surgeries, including a toe amputation. She also had to have a skin graft to cover the large hollow in her face left by the removal of the necrotizing fasciitis, leaving her with a large scar.

The CDC estimates that there are 700 to 1,150 cases of necrotizing fasciitis in the U.S. each year, with one in five patients dying.

Normally this occurs when bacteria such as group A Streptococcus (Group A Streptococci), E Coli or Clostridium enter the body through open wounds.

The bacteria then move rapidly and begin to multiply in tissues and blood vessels around the joints, leading to tissue death, also known as necrosis.

However, Kennedy had no cuts or other injuries, leading doctors to suspect she had contracted strep A while suffering from the flu.

Strep A can also be transmitted from person to person by inhaling droplets from someone who is infected.

Kennedy spent 52 days in the hospital recovering and learning to walk and talk again

Kennedy is now working on regaining her mobility and preparing for the amputation of five more toes.

Mrs Mayer, a teacher, said: ‘Somehow this has caused necrotising fasciitis to develop in her face.

“There’s nothing about Kennedy’s case that’s in the book. She even offended some of the smartest doctors here in this hospital.

“Every organ is affected and there are other concerns, but we continue to pray and take it one day at a time.”

About one in five cases of necrotizing fasciitis results in amputation.

For Kennedy, that included her big toe last month. Ms. Mayer also noted that five of Kennedy’s other toes will need to be amputated in the coming months.

In total, Kennedy spent 52 days in the hospital, including rehabilitation, where she had to learn how to use her arms and legs and learn to walk again.

Many sepsis patients suffer from muscle atrophy, a loss of muscle mass, which makes it difficult for them to walk and perform other basic functions.

Now her family is focused on improving her mobility and preparing for any additional surgeries she may need. It is unclear whether Kennedy will be able to return to school.

“Every morning I wake up hoping this was all just a horrible nightmare, but I am grateful for how well she has healed,” Mayer said.

“We are so grateful that she is still here.”