September 22, 2025
The student actually had meningococcal disease that led to sepsis.
After mistaking a severe illness for a typical fall season flu, a UK teen now lives a new reality from the near-death experience.
Shortly after beginning the 2024 school year at England’s De Montfort University, Ketia Moponda had what she thought was a mild illness. Things took a turn when the 19-year-old’s cough worsened, leading her to believe she was “going to die,” People reported.
After not checking back in with a friend and her cousins, loved ones reached out to the university to ensure her well-being. Administrators found her unconscious in her dorm room. Moponda was transported the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Moponda actually had meningococcal septicaemia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the bacterial infection is caused by bacterial meningitis, often spread through spit or mucus. In the marketing student’s case, the infection led to sepsis, prompting doctors to take drastic measures to save her life.
When she arrived at the Leicester, Moponda was in a grave state, a blood oxygen level at 1% and organ failure. She was put into a medically induced coma.
“My feet were green and swollen,” said the college student. “My organs were failing, and doctors told my family that if I woke at all, I’d likely be brain dead.”
She woke up days later to swollen body parts. Because of the lack of blood flow, doctors removed Moponda’s legs and fingers months later.
The co-ed doesn’t remember the ordeal, but wants to use her story and platform to spread awareness on the lesser-known disease.
It took a while for Moponda to adjust to her new normal, saying it was initially “killing my spirit” as she just entered adulthood. “This doesn’t make me less of a person,” Moponda said. “I am unapologetically me, and I want to help others to feel confident about who they are and how they look.”
With new prosthetic legs, she is learning to walk again while remaining empowered through her disability.
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