Vacation turns to fight for life on remote island

Soren Almeida's vacation to the remote island of Kiritimati took a terrifying turn when he became critically ill. The 22-year-old Californian traveler found himself battling a rare sickness in a location with limited medical facilities.

Approximately halfway through his December 2025 trip, Almeida began experiencing symptoms resembling severe food poisoning. This quickly escalated to intense muscle cramps and numbness in his extremities and face, leading him to believe he was having a seizure and possibly dying.

He was rushed to the island's sole hospital, where he was diagnosed with tetany. This condition, characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, was attributed to severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, heat, and exertion from the equatorial climate.

Almeida remained hospitalized for 14 hours to receive an IV for rehydration. Despite feeling barely able to stand, he discharged himself to catch the island's only weekly flight, aiming to avoid a seven-day delay for further treatment.

While Almeida is now recovering and doing better, he reports that full healing has been gradual. He views the experience, though frightening, as a unique opportunity to understand the local medical system and the lives of Kiritimati's inhabitants.