Arisbeth Munoz, a 39-year-old San Diego mother of two autistic children, suffered a devastating reaction to the flu and strep A bacteria, resulting in the amputation of all four limbs. The severe infection triggered sepsis, a life-threatening response from the immune system, which caused necrotizing fasciitis, a rare but deadly condition.
Munoz’s body attacked its own tissue as it tried to fight off the infection, leading to rapid destruction of skin and muscle. Doctors had to put her on a ventilator to prevent organ failure before performing amputations to save what remained. Despite being expected to die, Munoz miraculously survived.
However, her recovery has been long and arduous. After spending five months in the hospital, Munoz was finally discharged in April 2025. She can now breathe and eat independently but remains concerned about caring for her children, Matthew and Enrique, who rely heavily on her.
Munoz launched a crowdfunding page to raise funds for prosthetics, citing that they would enable her to continue caring for herself and her children. “As a mother, this would truly help me,” she said. “I desire nothing more than to continue to care for them.”
Currently, Munoz is managing her recovery at home, slowly regaining basic skills like eating and brushing her teeth on her own. She expressed gratitude for being alive and grateful to be with her children.
In rare cases, strep A can become life-threatening when it enters the bloodstream or deeper tissues, triggering sepsis. Necrotizing fasciitis, also known as “flesh-eating disease,” occurs when bacteria rapidly destroy skin, muscle, and soft tissue. The Cleveland Clinic reported 700 to 1,200 cases of necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A strep bacteria in the US between 2010 and 2024, with about one in three people infected dying.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14842203/Terrified-mom-wakes-limbs-amputated-catching-two-common-infections-time.html