Kaydin Baldwin spent 117 days hospitalized after influenza progressed into pneumonia, sepsis and organ failure.
HOUSTON, Texas — A Texas teenager is recovering in a Houston hospital after flu complications led doctors to amputate both of her legs and her right arm during a months-long fight for her life.
Kaydin Baldwin, 14, became critically ill after first showing flu symptoms in late January. Her illness later progressed into strep pneumonia, necrotizing pneumonia, septic shock, blood clots and multi-organ failure, according to her family. The case has drawn new attention as relatives raise money for a wheelchair-accessible van while she continues inpatient rehabilitation and prepares for prosthetic limbs.
Kaydin, from Kerrville, first developed fever, chills and body aches on Jan. 23, her mother, Amanda Baldwin, said in public interviews. By the end of the month, her symptoms had worsened enough that the family went to an emergency room. Amanda Baldwin said doctors gave Kaydin oxygen and fluids, monitored her and discussed sending her to San Antonio for a higher level of care before sending her home with instructions to hydrate. Once home, the illness quickly turned worse. “She went into respiratory distress, started turning blue,” Amanda Baldwin said. Kaydin was then taken to a San Antonio hospital, where doctors found strep pneumonia, septic shock and multi-organ failure.
The infection strained Kaydin’s body within days. Her family said her heart was working at about 20% function at one point, and her mother said Kaydin’s heart stopped during the ordeal. Later reports from the family said Kaydin spent 117 days in the hospital and coded for two minutes. Doctors also found blood clots that cut off circulation to her limbs. On March 17, surgeons amputated both legs and her right arm to save her life. Earlier family updates described a five-hour surgery that removed both legs below the knee and her right arm above the elbow. The family has said the amputations followed severe complications from influenza B and a bacterial infection.
Doctors who discussed the case said influenza can become far more dangerous when paired with bacterial infections. Dr. Howard Pryor, trauma medical director at Texas Children’s Hospital, said the flu can be dangerous on its own and that strep also requires close attention. He said toxins released by bacteria can trigger clotting in the wrong parts of the body. In Kaydin’s case, the family said that clotting, along with organ failure, left doctors with no choice but to remove three limbs. The precise full medical record has not been made public, and the family has shared the timeline through interviews, social media updates and fundraising posts.
Kaydin’s illness began as a common seasonal infection, but the outcome was rare and severe. Her family said the flu progressed into pneumonia, then septic shock, a life-threatening response to infection. Later reports described necrotizing pneumonia, a serious condition that damages lung tissue. Family members said Kaydin needed heavy breathing support during the worst of the illness. In March, her mother said Kaydin remained sedated at times because her lungs were still severely sick and that doctors were treating a chest tube leak. Community members in the Kerrville and San Antonio areas organized fundraisers and silent auction support as the family faced medical costs and a long recovery.
Kaydin has since moved into the next stage of treatment. Her family said she remains hospitalized in Houston, where she is undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and preparing to be fitted for prosthetic limbs. She recently celebrated her 14th birthday while still recovering. Her sister, Arieanna Valdez, later started a fundraiser for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle after the family’s van broke down. Valdez wrote that Kaydin had gone through months of life-changing medical care and needed transportation that could support her wheelchair use. Amanda Baldwin said the response from supporters around the world has helped the family during the recovery.
The family has described Kaydin as strong, funny and determined as she adjusts to life after the amputations. Amanda Baldwin said she tried to draw strength from her daughter while staying at her bedside. “It’s amazing how loved she is,” Baldwin said. “How loved our family is.” Earlier, after the surgery, the family said Kaydin had overcome repeated medical setbacks and that the loss of her limbs would not define her future. Relatives have also said they are sharing her story because they did not expect a case of flu to lead to such a severe chain of events.
As of Tuesday, Kaydin remains in recovery, with rehabilitation and prosthetic fittings ahead. Her family’s immediate focus is medical care, mobility and transportation as she works toward leaving the hospital after months of treatment.
Author note: Last updated July 7, 2026.