5 month mark :/ Well as you all know, it’s been a long journey for Ben and unfortunately it’s not over and won’t be over for quite a while still… :/ doctor has said numerous times “a year/at least a year to get back to some what of a normalcy”…Ben’s never given up and fought extremely hard to speed up the healing process and recover! Dr. B said if he had graphed where he thought Ben would be today back at then beginning- he’s beyond triumphed those thoughts! So, that’s a good feeling to us. I am changing the bandaging daily now, due to it still drains significantly through the bandages and his jeans. But there’s been no reversing in progress and for that alone is a major blessing!

Life has drastically changed for every one of us in our household. The kids have truly adapted a whole lot better than I ever imagined and that alone is so much more than I could ever ask for! We all pitch in to help Ben, put his socks and shoes on, it takes a lot longer for us to get ready to leave the house when going anywhere…as he’s not quite as fast as he used to be. Ben stays cold all the time when we’re a very hot natured family; so that’s been adjusting for us all…Ben doesn’t get around as well as he used too due to the heaviness of the cautionary mind state he’s created for himself to protect that leg and foot. But, he’s truly been doing well. He hasn’t given up; I will not let him! So, please continue all those awesome prayers. They’re all working! Thank you all again for keeping up with Ben and I throughout this journey…

I am reaching out in lieu support for my fiancé' - Benjamin aka "Ben" West who is only 38 years, a very hard worker & a loving family man that loves the outdoors.

Just a normal fishing trip with his Dad & kids & I...He contracted the flesh eating bacteria 'Vibrio' from the Gulf - we were in St. Joe under the intercoastal bridge catching blue crab & mullet on 8/23/2025. Benjamin began complaining of serious burning in his foot & ankle & it began to swell terribly. It was the worst pain he's ever felt & he kept telling me his leg felt to be on fire. So on 8/25/25 he was given a misdiagnosis of cellulitis & sent home on antibiotics. The antibiotics sent this bacteria hay wire. It began to blister & Benjamin started to decline extremely fast. His blood pressure was 84/46 when we got to the ER..((in less than 24hours (8/26/25), he was being worked up at Bay Medical in Panama City, Fl. with the most amazing doctors & nurses God could've blessed us with.))

( The DEATH zone & breeding ground that very awful night)

8/26/25 changed our lives forever - We never would have believed he would be on deaths door step, a ventilator & highly possibly becoming a amputee of his entire left leg. Doctors exact words were if it gets to your hip & above - "your good as dead" & "luckily you got here when you did, because the outcome wasn't going to be this". But with God on our side we have been through 2 surgeries where the doctor has taken the infection filled tissue & removed it, luckily as of the 2 surgeries on 8/26/25 and 8/27/25, the bacteria had not gotten into the muscle, which was amazing news. It did effect his left leg from the knee down but had NOT spread any as of 8/27/25. He has a concerning spot at the base of his toes that they are going to watch very closely. His next surgery is 8/29/25.

We still have a series of surgeries ahead of us & doctors say a LONG LONG road of recovery once we leave the hospital. Which leaves all our financial obligations including his health insurance completely on me...so I am going against my shame/pride & want to - reaching out for the help of any one that wants to donate; I can't thank you enough for the thoughts & most importantly the prayers...keep them coming - there definitely working.

He is my best friend, my soulmate, my rock, a wonderful father, a great provider and his only concern before going into surgery was - what about all our bills. I told him I would make it happen the best I could - I didn't care what we had & didn't as long as I had him when we were done with all this, NOTHING ELSE MATTERED!

Mine & Ben's request - STAY OUT OF THE WATER GUYS! PLEASE!!! Do NOT take the risk, this is a nasty nasty bacteria that's taking people lives & if not their lives, their limbs...it is NOT worth it I promise & IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU...Benjamin is a very HEALTHY 38 year old man with NO HEALTH problems that became septic in less than 24 hours & fighting for his life...please pass this along!!

Ben and Bernie Stewart a Vibrio survivor from Pensacola; that drove over to meet Ben after hearing his story on the news! On 9/6/25.