Eleven-year-old Gabriella Eser from Södertälje suffered severe sepsis from meningococcal infection at age four, resulting in the amputation of both her lower legs. Despite a critical hospital stay and extensive rehabilitation, she now looks to the future positively and dreams of the Paralympics. Her story highlights the risks of the rare but dangerous infection.
Gabriella Eser, 11 years old from Södertälje, seems like any other eleven-year-old with interests in swimming, TikTok, and her dwarf hamster Lilly. But seven years ago, at age four, she fought for her life after contracting a meningococcal infection. The first signs were skin hemorrhages, and her condition deteriorated rapidly. The family went to Huddinge hospital and then to Karolinska in Solna, where Gabriella suffered cardiac arrest.
Mother Jenny and father Burhan Eser waited hours without information. “We understood nothing. It was a matter of hours, it went very fast,” says Jenny. Gabriella was connected to an ECMO machine and hovered between life and death for several days. “They didn't know how she would survive. One second at a time, they said,” recalls Burhan.
Tissue death spread to large parts of her body, and eventually both lower legs were amputated. She was critical for two and a half months, followed by months of rehabilitation with skin grafts from her head. “Her body was so broken, there was nothing else to take,” says Burhan. Hospital visits continued every other day for dressings.
Today, Gabriella remembers little of the event, but the scars remind her. She uses leg prosthetics but prefers a wheelchair to avoid sores. In the pool, she swims three times a week and loves competing. “She likes to compete and win, she's no loser,” says Jenny. Gabriella dreams of becoming an actress, writing books, and competing in the Paralympics. “That was well done by me,” she says proudly. “You have what you have,” she states. The family sees her as a role model.
Meningococcal infection causes severe illness with symptoms like fever, neck stiffness, and vomiting, and can lead to sepsis. Fewer than 50 people fall ill annually in Sweden, mainly children and young people. A vaccine exists but is not part of the standard program, according to the Public Health Agency.
