Emily Koenig's Meningitis Story

In December of 2002, 12-year-old Emily Koenig was visiting a local nursery with her dad to find plants for a school science project.

Unbeknownst to the Koenigs, during that visit, Emily had been exposed to bacterial meningitis after another customer sneezed on her. In the days before, Emily had been playing energetically. But on the afternoon of Dec. 11, 2002, just four days following her trip to the nursery, she was so weak she could barely stand. Emily had gone to bed the night before with the sniffles and a sore throat, but when she woke up, the vomiting started.

The family doctor said it was probably just the stomach flu, but within hours, Emily’s parents began to think it must be something more.

Emily was rushed to the Brandywine Hospital, a mere 10 minutes away, but her condition had worsened to the point where she had stopped breathing. The hospital staff tried to resuscitate Emily, but the young girl had unfortunately succumbed to this deadly disease. Once an animated and wholesome 12 year-old, Emily was taken away from this world too soon and with little warning.