John's Meningitis Story

As a 19-year-old college sophomore, I was a typical student and like most teenagers, felt like I was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. I was an active member of a fraternity. Everything seemed to be following an ordered path. And then, I got sick with what I thought was the flu. I took some meds and went to bed. Eight days later, I woke up in the hospital. Blind, disoriented and lucky to be alive.

Miraculously, my fraternity brother had found me unconscious on my bedroom floor. Now, I doubt I’m the only guy with a story about being found on the ground by a fraternity brother during his college days. Unfortunately, rather than being the result of a memorable college party my experience was thanks to a nasty bout with meningococcal disease, also known as bacterial meningitis.

As a result, I lost most of my vision, have a bladder that no longer functions properly and have permanent neurological damage. I live with invisible disabilities that shape every element of my life today. The mental and emotional toll was even worse. Because survival isn’t the end of the journey—it’s just the beginning.