Alex’s Story

November 14, 2022 began like a typical Monday for Alex. His energy levels were down after a bout with the flu a week before, but he felt otherwise fine. By mid afternoon, however, he was experiencing upper back pain and left work early. Within the short drive home, he spiked a fever and his condition deteriorated rapidly over the next several hours. By midnight, an ambulance was called and Alex was rushed to CGMH, where the incredible staff recognized that he had gone into septic shock as a result of influenza A virus in his system, and worked to stabilize him. Within a few hours, he was airlifted to RVH, where he would spend the next two days in ICU. Miraculously, Alex recovered very quickly over the following week, and was able to return home in time for his daughter’s birthday the following weekend. We would come to learn that Alex’s lungs, kidneys, liver, and multiple other organs had failed during the earlier hours of November 15th.

Life after sepsis is not without its challenges, and while we continue to navigate our new normal, we are forever grateful to the first responders and hospital staff that worked together to save Alex’s life.