YouTuber Billy LeBlanc shared that his girlfriend died from a rare bacterial infection after consuming raw oysters.
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LeBlanc and his girlfriend, Natalie Clark, both contracted vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacteria found in coastal waters.
According to Cleveland Clinic, “Vibrio vulnificus is a type of bacteria that can enter your body when you eat uncooked or undercooked shellfish. It can also infect open wounds. It causes a serious form of the illness vibriosis that can quickly lead to sepsis, shock, and large, spreading blisters that destroy tissues.”
LeBlanc, 44, revealed that he, too, almost died from the infection. Devastatingly, his girlfriend, 37, didn’t make it.
“I’m sure none of you know but I recently almost died,” he wrote in a post on Instagram. “I was in the hospital for 12 days. Unfortunately, Natalie didn’t make it and she passed away. I will always remember how we got lost everywhere together. I will always love her and miss her.
“Be safe and hold your loved ones tight you, never know when it’ll be the last time you see them,” he concluded. The post also featured various photos of the couple and their travels.
YouTuber Billy LeBlanc’s Girlfriend Died From Bacterial Infection After Eating Raw Oysters
At first, many people were confused by the cryptic Instagram post, as he didn’t immediately specify the cause of his girlfriend’s death.
“We both got vibrio vulnificus from raw oysters,” he added as a comment on his post.
Later, he shared a video explaining the incident in more detail to clear up any confusion.
“We ate oysters, and we both felt sick for a couple of days,” he explained. “And then I woke up, and she was gone. So, I spent 12 days in the hospital and eight days in the ICU actually. I don’t remember much of it. I was pretty much out of it most of the time.”
He added that he was “in a mourning phase” and “just trying to figure things out.”
Among many loved ones, including LeBlanc, Clark leaves behind her 17-year-old son, Julian.