What began as a summer fishing trip in Port St. Joe, Florida, has left a young father battling for his life in the hospital.
On Aug. 23, Ben West, 38, was crabbing and fishing with his family when he contracted Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria often linked to seawater exposure through small wounds or to eating contaminated shellfish. Within days, West went from feeling burning pain in his ankle to fighting for survival on a ventilator.
A Rapid Decline
According to a GoFundMe page created by his fiancée, Janie Knowles, West’s symptoms escalated at frightening speed. At first, he complained of searing pain and swelling in his foot. He visited a hospital two days later, where doctors misdiagnosed him with cellulitis and sent him home with antibiotics.
But instead of improving, his leg erupted in blisters. “There were blisters everywhere,” Knowles told local outlet WJHG. “It was swelling so badly you couldn’t recognize his leg compared to the other one. It was four times bigger.”
By the time he was rushed back to Bay Medical in Panama City, West’s condition had deteriorated drastically. His liver and kidneys were failing, and doctors warned he might lose his leg.
A Family in Shock
For his family, the ordeal has been overwhelming. “The hardest part so far is watching him be in that bed helpless, not knowing if he’s going to live or die,” said his father, Keith West.
Knowles described fainting when she realized the severity of her fiancé’s condition. “I was saying, ‘God, please, do not take him from me,’” she recalled. “He’s a loving guy. He loves his children. He’s fought for it — he’s fought really hard.”
Surgeries and Uncertain Recovery
West has since undergone multiple surgeries to remove infected tissue. In a small victory, doctors determined the infection had not spread into his muscle, sparing him from more drastic amputation — for now.
“Luckily, as of the two surgeries, the bacteria had not gotten into the muscle,” Knowles wrote in a GoFundMe update. “It did affect his left leg from the knee down but had not spread.”
Doctors remain cautious, however. West faces more procedures, possible skin grafts, and a long road of rehabilitation. “The doctor feels confident he has stopped the progression,” Knowles said. “Now we have to start dealing with the residual effects to his skin.”
A Health Alert and a Warning
Just days after West fell ill, the Florida Department of Health at Bay County issued a health alert about possible bacterial contamination in Port St. Joe linked to a sewage spill. Officials urged residents to avoid swimming in the area until further testing.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Vibrio vulnificus infections progress quickly and can be fatal without rapid medical intervention. Symptoms include fever, low blood pressure, and painful blisters.
Rallying Support
As West fights for his life, his family is rallying behind him. The GoFundMe campaign has raised over $16,000 of its $20,000 goal to help with staggering medical bills.
For Knowles, the ordeal has turned faith into her lifeline. “I never would have believed he would be on death’s doorstep,” she said. “But he’s still here, and he’s fighting.”
