Nicholas Mata

Nicholas was 11 years old when sepsis changed his life forever.

He was a gifted young athlete, tall for his age (almost 6ft) and passionate about football. He dreamed of playing professionally one day and loved spending time with his teammates and friends. In December 2023, Nicholas was in 5th grade and living the life of a healthy, active boy, until a sudden illness turned into a fight for survival.

On December 23, Nicholas developed a fever, dizziness, nausea, and weakness. At the emergency room, he had a heart rate of 130, low blood pressure, abnormal EKG, and dehydration. Despite these warning signs, he was sent home without antibiotics or further testing.

Within 48 hours, Nicholas collapsed. On December 25, he was rushed back to the hospital and this time was found to be in septic shock. His infection—caused by Group A Streptococcus—had spread to his bloodstream, bones and organs. He was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where he stayed for 34 days. (Sepsis and Group A Streptococcus)

During his hospitalization, Nicholas required aggressive IV fluids, vasopressors to keep his blood pressure up, strong antibiotics, and multiple surgeries to wash out infections in his right wrist and right hip. He also faced serious complications, including jaundice, kidney injury, liver stress, blood clots, and severe pain. At times, he was too weak to walk.

Thanks to intensive medical care, Nicholas survived. He was discharged on January 27, 2024, but his life has never returned to what it was before.

Now 12 years old, Nicholas lives with long-term complications from sepsis. He has chronic joint damage, kidney and liver issues, heart damage, and emotional trauma from his ICU stay. Football, the sport he loved, may never be the same for him. Still, he is resilient. He works daily in physical therapy and pushes himself to regain strength.

Nicholas’s story highlights how quickly sepsis can escalate and the importance of early recognition and treatment. His experience is a reminder that sepsis is a medical emergency that can affect anyone, at any age.

Source: Reasa Selph, Mom