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Boy's near-death E.coli battle leads to incredible recovery
4 Jun
Summary
- Seven-year-old Rafi nearly died for 23 minutes after E.coli infection.
- He was in a coma for two weeks, facing stage four kidney failure.
- Rafi has made an incredible recovery and can now stand independently.
A seven-year-old boy named Rafi experienced a near-fatal ordeal after contracting a rare strain of E.coli in September 2023. Initially sent home from school with vomiting, his condition rapidly deteriorated over two weeks, marked by severe cramps and blood in his stool. Doctors initially misdiagnosed him with constipation and a stomach bug.
Upon hospital admission, Rafi developed stage four kidney failure, multiple seizures, and brain injury, suffering three cardiac arrests. He was resuscitated and placed on life support, including an ECMO machine, after doctors urged his family to say their goodbyes. He remained in a coma for two weeks.
Rafi awoke from his coma with significant disabilities, having lost most of his basic functions. His recovery has been slow but remarkable. As of June 2026, Rafi can talk, eat, sit up, and has regained the ability to stand independently.
His family's dedication was supported by Ronald McDonald House, where they stayed for 186 nights to be close to him during his extended hospital stay. Rafi's journey highlights incredible resilience and the importance of timely diagnosis and dedicated care.
