Sepsis and Celebrities

Many celebrities and public figures have been affected by sepsis. Some survived their bout with the disease, but others died. Sepsis is an equal opportunity illness – it can affect anyone of any social status, age, ethnicity, or beliefs.

All too often, however, the media that report celebrities illnesses or deaths from sepsis fail to say the word. They often say that the person has died of complications of pneumonia, surgery, or cancer, for example. If someone has died of an infection, such as pneumonia or the flu, or an infection from surgery, he or she has died from sepsis. If someone develops an infection serious enough that they must be treated in the hospital with IV fluids and antibiotics, chances are that they have sepsis.

Below is a list of celebrities who Sepsis Alliance knows have had sepsis or believes they did due to the news reports. If you know of any celebrities that you feel should be added to this list, please send the information to info@sepsis.org.

Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Celebrities. 2024. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/celebrities/

Updated June 6, 2024.

 

Likely Sepsis Cases By Illness:

Bacterial Infection
  • Ashley Park, actress – treated for tonsillitis that progressed to sepsis

To learn more about bacterial infections and how they can cause sepsis, visit Sepsis and Bacterial Infections.

 

Cancer
  • Paul Allen, Co-Founder of Microsoft – died
  • Ron Piche, former Montreal Expo pitcher – died of “cancer and blood poisoning” in 2011 (baseball)
  • Ray Price (Country star Ray Price back in hospital with sepsis) – died
  • Charlie Robinson, actor – died
  • Lura Lynn Ryan, Illinois former first lady – survived first bout with sepsis, later died of “complications from cancer”
  • Susie Steiner, author – died
  • Cory Wells, musician – died
  • John Wetton, musician – died

To learn more about how people with cancer can be at higher risk of contracting infections and developing sepsis, visit Sepsis and Cancer.

Cellulitis

To learn more about what cellulitis is and its connection to sepsis, visit Sepsis and Cellulitis.

COVID-19

To learn how COVID-19 can lead to sepsis, visit Sepsis and COVID-19.

Dental Infection

To learn how infections in your mouth can lead to sepsis, visit Sepsis and Dental Health.

Diabetes

To learn about how diabetes increases your risk of developing infections that can lead to sepsis, visit Sepsis and Diabetes.

E coli

To learn more about intestinal E. coli and how it can lead to sepsis, visit Sepsis and Intestinal E Coli Infections.

HIV

Learn more about HIV and how it can increase your risk of developing sepsis at Sepsis and HIV/AIDS.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Learn more about how IBD can increase your risk of developing infections that can lead to sepsis at Sepsis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Infected Wound

 

Learn more about bacterial infections at Sepsis and Bacterial Infections.

Influenza

 

Learn how the flu can cause sepsis at Sepsis and Influenza.

Intestinal Infection or Perforated Bowel

 

Learn how a perforated bowel can lead to infection and sepsis at Sepsis and Perforated Bowel.

Maternal Sepsis

 

Learn about how pregnancy, delivery, and post-partum infections can cause sepsis at Sepsis and Pregnancy & Delivery.

Meningitis

Learn how bacterial, viral, and fungal meningitis can cause sepsis at Sepsis and Meningitis.

Necrotizing fasciitis

Lynn Collins, actress – also had pneumonia

Other
Pancreatitis
Peritonitis
Pneumonia

 

Learn how pneumonia can lead to sepsis at Sepsis and Pneumonia.

Surgery

 

Learn how surgery can cause infections, during and after the procedure, that can lead to sepsis at Sepsis and Surgery.

Toxic Shock Syndrome

 

Learn how toxic shock syndrome can lead to sepsis at Sepsis and Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Unknown
Upper Respiratory Infection
UTI

 

Learn how the common UTI can lead to sepsis at Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections.

Related Resources

Marie Mubaiwa

I had what I thought was a cold. I just took cough medicine until the next day I started having chest pains and heart palpitations. At first I thought it would go away. People thought I was overreacting until something told me this doesn’t feel right. I became breathless and called for an ambulance. They didn’t have any available for four hours so I used the little strength I had to get an Uber to the emergency services. When I got there I was quickly admitted the last thing I remember was being told I had pneumonia and being taken ... Read Full Story

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Tirzah S.

For three long months, I battled a persistent urinary tract infection (UTI) that refused to go away, despite multiple rounds of antibiotics. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) By August, the situation took a turn for the worse as my symptoms intensified. Chills, nausea, and weakness began to plague me, culminating in a sudden wave of fatigue so overpowering that it felt like I might pass out while washing dishes. Initially, I thought this was my chronic fatigue issue, I carried on with my day until the back flank pain escalated, becoming unbearable by nightfall. Realizing I needed medical attention, I ... Read Full Story

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Brandi Baltes

I went into a doc in the box in late November 2023 for strep throat. (Sepsis and Strep Throat) Within a week, I was being transported from that same doc in the box for extremely low blood pressure. Next thing I remember is waking up from a coma. I had COVID, septic shock, kidney failure, diaphragmatic spasms, and pneumonia. (Sepsis and Covid-19, Sepsis and Pneumonia) I was in the ICU for 35 days1 2 weeks in a coma. The nightmares I had while in my coma still haunt me. I’m terrified of anything that seems “off” with my health. Read Full Story

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Melissa Shaw-Hill

In 2019 I was bitten on my chest by a mosquito. Within an hour, that bite had taken over most of my left breast. By hour 2, I had a climbing fever and felt nauseous. 6 hours later, my husband was told I had flesh eating  disease and was in septic shock. (Sepsis and Necrotizing Fasciitis) I had emergency surgery and was fighting to live before midnight. I spent 7 days in ICU, intubated with a large open wound on my chest. Doctors and nurses were surprised I was alive, But I had 2 young kids and a husband to ... Read Full Story

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Haley Vazquez

Hello! My name is Haley and I am a proud survivor of septic shock. In January of 2019, I had fallen ill. My temperature reached 102.4. As the week progressed, I began to lose feeling in my left leg. Whilst my body was slowly shutting down, My mom and I took a trip to a pediatric clinic where my muddy urine was mistaken for dehydration. A few doctor’s visits and one blood test later, it was clear I needed to head to the ER immediately. After those long hours in the ER, my memory is blank. February of 2019, I ... Read Full Story

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Other Topics

Celebrities

Many celebrities and public figures have been affected by sepsis. Some survived their bout with the disease, but others died. Sepsis is an equal opportunity illness – it can affect anyone of any social status, age, ethnicity, or beliefs.