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Billy Porter: 'I was dead for three days' from sepsis
6 Mar
Summary
- Porter experienced a near-fatal sepsis battle requiring life support.
- Doctors placed him in a coma and on an ECMO machine.
- He underwent surgeries to save his legs from compartment syndrome.

Tony award winner Billy Porter has recounted his terrifying brush with death, disclosing that he was 'dead for three days' during a severe battle with sepsis. The health crisis began last September while he was in hospital for a routine kidney stone procedure, which quickly escalated when doctors discovered a serious infection behind the stone. This infection led to urosepsis, a life-threatening condition where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.
Porter's condition became so critical that medical professionals utilized an ECMO machine and induced a coma for several days. Following his revival and removal from life support, he learned that his legs had developed compartment syndrome due to the infection, necessitating surgical intervention. Doctors performed procedures to save his legs by cutting them open while he was still in a coma. Having survived this ordeal, Porter expressed profound gratitude for his life and shared that the experience has reshaped his perspective, emphasizing the importance of living truthfully and working smarter.




