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 30, 2025.

 

Likely Sepsis Cases By Illness:

Bacterial Infection
  • Ashley Park, actress – treated for tonsillitis that progressed to sepsis
  • Donald Norcross, U.S. Congressman – treated for a gallbladder infection 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

Petra Haans

I didn’t feel good for a long time. I went to the hospital three times but they didn’t take me seriously and sent me away. I had so much pain!
Because they didn’t took me seriously, I started to doubt myself.
But there was so much stress and pain.
Not so many days later the ambulance came and took me to the hospital, they let me be more and more sick, threw up blood. I was in a coma already.
Where the doctors let me threw up blood for two days before they started to do medical research on me.
Because of all this stress, ... Read Full Story

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Elexa Ferguson

My sepsis story is long, but I’ll try and keep it short. The week of Thanksgiving 2024 I felt fine, slight sore throat but nothing extreme. Day before Thanksgiving I had some lethargy but managed to help make dinner with my mother in law. Then on Thanksgiving day, in the morning my body aches set in. Extreme all over body aches, nothing could stop them. I was in tears I was in so much pain. I tried to eat thanksgiving dinner with my family, but it was cut short by my body aches and pain. I spend evening, while everyone ... Read Full Story

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Claire Lapat

I developed severe sepsis and went into septic shock in March 2023, at 23 years old. I was on TPN (total parenteral nutrition) as a result of my Crohn’s disease. (Sepsis and Invasive Devices) Unfortunately TPN is almost like agar used in microbiology lab and Crohn’s disease changes the permeability of the intestines making it easier for bacteria to leak out into the bloodstream, making the combination a perfect storm. I had labs drawn weekly and I got a call in the evening that my WBC count was elevated and to monitor my temperature. At that point I was at ... Read Full Story

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Susan H.

The Day I went missing. November 24, 2020 was the last day before Thanksgiving Break from high school. I am a 62 yr. old female, entering my 18th year of teaching special education. I had a history of diverticulosis, my father died when I was 18 of colon cancer. I was consistent with preventive colon care, but had been hospitalized for a night for diverticulitis in 2019. After the infection had cleared, a colonoscopy revealed severe diverticulosis, and gastro doctor advised 11 inches be taken out. My husband and I both met with him and got a second opinion, and ... Read Full Story

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Sherry S.

I became septic after a UTI that sent me to ICU for 3days. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) Weeks after I got out of hospital. I had to several trips to the E.R. Related to anaphylactic shock due to allergic reactions of unknown causes. After seeing an allergist it was determined that I had no allergies. My problem was mast cell activation syndrome caused by septic shock. I take allergy medicine every day. And carry an EpiPen. I am on a low histamine diet. Lately I have several issues related to mental problems, cognitive decline, memory loss, inability to process ... 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.