After attempting to extract an ingrown hair from his leg, a man fell into a coma and was subsequently pronounced brain dead.
Michelle, Steven Spinale’s sister, who has been documenting his near-death encounter on TikTok, revealed that Steven, hailing from Texas, was diagnosed with severe sepsis due to the infection in late 2022, posing a potentially fatal threat.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sepsis is a critical medical emergency that occurs when an existing extreme infection sets off a chain reaction throughout the body, posing a life-threatening situation.
Steven’s ordeal continued to worsen, as he additionally contracted influenza A and developed double pneumonia in both lungs, alongside acute respiratory distress syndrome, during his hospitalization.
Credit: GoFundMe
As a husband and father, Steven contracted the illness while attempting to remove an ingrown hair from his groin area, leading to the development of the disease.
On the social media platform, his sister disclosed that doctors discovered the septic bacterial infection had spread to his heart, causing significant damage. However, due to the urgency of his condition, Steven couldn’t undergo surgery.
“On a GoFundMe page, Michelle wrote, “All [doctors] could figure out was he was bleeding internally from somewhere. Little did we know that would be the smallest worry.” She continued, “He caught a rare bacteria that was ravaging through his body and shutting down all his organs. He is severely septic and in shock.” The page has raised $8,488 for his care.
Michelle detailed on a GoFundMe page, “All [doctors] could figure out was he was bleeding internally from somewhere. Little did we know that would be the smallest worry.” She further explained, “He caught a rare bacteria that was ravaging through his body and shutting down all his organs. He is severely septic and in shock.” The page has raised $8,488 for his care.
Steven endured a series of procedures, including open heart surgery and spending two weeks in a rotating bed to aid his breathing and facilitate the draining of fluids from his lungs.
Months later, at the end of 2023, Steven emerged from his coma without any brain damage. Since then, he has made remarkable progress, nearly fully recovering and regaining the ability to walk, talk, and indulge in his favorite hobbies once again.