Massachusetts college student recovering from bacterial meningitis. “Many have called me a miracle”

By Paul Burton

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    MANSFIELD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A young woman from Mansfield was in a coma for more than a month after she contracted a dangerous form of meningitis.

Adele Younis always considered herself a positive, happy, and driven individual, with an exciting college career ahead of her. Back in March while attending Emmanuel College in Boston, she contracted bacterial meningitis, and everything changed.

“My fingers and my foot gone”

“I remember waking up from surgery with my fingers and my foot gone. The meningitis had reached my skin and it left burns on my arms,” Younis said.

Dr. Mary Hopkins of Tufts Medical Center says there are about 3,000 cases of bacterial meningitis every year in the U.S. Ten to 15% end up dying from the infection. “Bacterial meningitis is an infection that we can pick up typically by someone coughing on us or bodily secretions. An infection inflammation of the outer layer of our brain,” Dr. Hopkins said.

Adele’s father says it almost took his daughter’s life. She was treated at Boston Medical Center, where she was in a coma for five weeks. The family says she was vaccinated. “When she arrived there, she was pretty much dead. Her lungs, her heart, her kidney, her liver they were all shut down,” Yve Younis said.

“An empowering story to give people”

For this reason, the brave 20-year-old knows she’s alive to make a difference. “The doctors, many have called me a miracle. How using something like my journey can help people get out of dark times. I think when you reach rock bottom like I did, you definitely have something to give people, an empowering story to give people,” Younis said.

Now that she’s back home, she still has to go to rehab three times a week to work on her walking. She says this entire ordeal has made her stronger and is giving her confidence. “I do think I am a lot braver than I was before,” she said.

The family thanks all who have stood by her side. When she was released from the hospital, the Mansfield police and fire department escorted her home surrounded by community support. She still has a very long road ahead of her which includes prosthetics and getting back to school. “Without my family I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did. And without my friends who showed incredible support,” Younis said. “I am very grateful.”

How can people help?

“One of the best things you can do is go up to someone and just appreciate what they have gone through,” Younis said. “I think all you really need to say is ‘I see you’ve been through something and I’m proud of you.'”

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