06/10/2026
Megan’s Story: Sepsis Survivor After Spending Months on Life Support
In 2017, I heard a story that shook me to my core. A local 16 year old girl named Gianna became ill and, within a short time, lost her life to sepsis. I did not know her, but her story never left me.
After learning about the foundation her mother created in her honor, I reached out and offered my photography services for their first 5K. I still remember that day vividly. The weight of grief and love in that space was overwhelming. I went back to my car afterward and cried. From that moment on, Gianna’s story stayed with me and I shared it whenever I could.
In 2020, sepsis struck again when one of my closest friends, Jess, passed away after a battle with a rare cancer complicated by sepsis. The loss was devastating.
In 2021, my own life changed forever. I underwent a necessary medical procedure and developed septic shock. I spent months in the ICU on life support, undergoing multiple surgeries and Hail Mary procedures to save my life.
Surviving septic shock changes you. I am grateful to be here, but I live with lifelong complications that I continue to face every day.
In a few years, sepsis took Gianna, took Jess, and nearly took me too. It does not discriminate. Awareness, education, and research are our greatest hope. I now return to the 5K as a survivor, supporter, and advocate, standing with a foundation that has supported me in ways I can never fully express."
~ Megan T. 💜
