First person to ever survive rabies reflects on becoming a mom

From the brink of death to motherhood - the first person to ever survive rabies reflects on becoming a mom. Such an amazing story! Happy Mother’s Day to Jeanna Giese, and to all moms!
In 2004, Jeanna was treated at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin for rabies. She was the first person ever to survive the virus without being vaccinated. Jeanna spent 6 days in a medically induced coma. She was released from the hospital virus free after 75 days. Her mom, Ann, was with her every single day.
Learn more about Children's Hospital of Wisconsin: bit.ly/1mlIwGa

[@ollierkul]

Seeing her like this, a mother, a normal person who can talk, walk and do all of that just fine after watching the documentary about her is extremely uplifting.

[@Music1990Luver]

I remember watching the documentary years ago, and I saw how she talked with more of a slurred speech, so to see her progress like this it's like WOW!!!! I am very shocked by how good she appears to be doing. Definitely an inspiration!!!! It's crazy!!

[@alucozadebottle4423]

Let's hope in the future more people can survive rabies and soonly. Rabies would be defeated.

[@pluggothesluggo5509]

"in the future, technology will be indistinctable from magic"

[@djkoenig4716]

@@alucozadebottle4423One can survive rabies if the person suspected of possibly being infection gets treatment quickly before any symptoms shows up (a Which occur few weeks later after being infected when the virus spreads to the cetral nervous system,/brain). It is a matter of days before death ours once a patient shows symptoms. For some reason the treatment they gave this survivor hasn't yet saved other rabies patients they've treated with the same method, so researchers are trying to figure out why that is...

[@casterakabadman805]

Powerful 💯🙏💪🙏

[@AmirKhan-lj4ep]

I am a doctor and I just read about you in my microbiology textbook. Before you, I was thinking that rabies is 100 % fatal......you are lucky and stay blessed........

[@agentscuzz7637]

So would her twins be more resistant to the virus?

[@astrodad656]

@@agentscuzz7637 Clearly we don't know since this is the first case ever if someone surviving rabies. In vaccinated pregnant mom's an active antibody response develops in approximately 7-10 days, and detectable rabies virus neutralizing antibodies generally persist for several years. The duration of protection varies, so regular titers are necessary to assess the need for a booster vaccination. So it likely depends on when she had the twins. Probably not an issue as it is unlikely that her kids will ever be exposed to a rabid animal.

[@apsaraassam548]

Many people are survive rabies.. She is mot first.

[@hfd268]

@@apsaraassam548 she wasn’t vaccinated and rabies took it’s natural course and she survived

[@Beyond1904]

@@apsaraassam548 rabies kill you if you are not treated

[@trollscab4113]

it's amazing that it was like a reboot for her brain. she showed signs of severe disabilities at first but by exercising the brain she seems to be right on track. rabies is a very scary thing and it's awesome to see someone win against it

[@justinorwen1739]

She is THE ONLY person ever who has survived it once it became symptomatic.

[@volka2199]

It probably managed to damage some brain tissue or potentially the Milwaukee protocol's use of induced coma and mix of mind altering drugs may have contributed but it is likely that the damage was limited and she was still young. Brains have made amazing recoveries from much worse injuries, sometimes even physically destroyed sections of the brain such as some of the bullet to the head survivors that had a severely damaged hemisphere while the other side remained mostly intact allowing for the retention of memories and conciousness in some cases while the still living portions of the rest of the brain recovered and compensated for the loss of neural connections. Some people who survived such scenarios went from initial recovery where they were experiencing severe mental symptoms such as severe memory or motor control disorders but as the brain healed they were able to partially or almost fully regain proper speech and motor control although given the severity of such an Injury and absolutely total recovery was always highly unlikely. To think you can have a big chunk of your brain severely damaged but recover, rarely to an almost fully functioning state is amazing. One thing that surely helped was that she was young and the brain was still developing so the brain was much more likely to make a full recovery, also since no one section was severely damaged like in physical trauma it was a better environment for neurogenesis, this process over long periods can replace cells in damaged tissues but with physical trauma if a large part of the brain is affected entire sections may fail to work properly and while neurogenesis can replace cells in brain tissue it cannot regenerate the structure of large parts of the brain. It does however allow for existing neurons to form new pathways allowing some restoration and recovery sometimes even to a fairly high degree. Whatever damage she sustained would have wide consequences on various parts of the brain but the tissue was in a good state to repair itself and with the aid of therapy and the fact that it was still developing at her age she had a good shot at making a very good recovery.

[@volka2199]

@@justinorwen1739 no there are more now and there is also testing in Peru that found 7 people who had antibodies when only one of them took a vaccine. That means the other 6 had contacted the actual virus but never died. There is some evidence including this that rabies is survivable without treatment in some cases, or it may be due to a different strain. Regardless if those 6 made it with no vaccine it is very likely we have many unrecorded cases of survival throughout history. She is definitely the first official survivor of non vaccinated rabies though, atleast in the sense that it is verified by medical professionals and not anecdotal.

[@angelaflying9591]

Because she was still 15

[@MS-sr4hr]

Miracle✨✨✨

[@austinayers2509]

I don't think the average person realizes just how amazing this is. She is absolutely awesome! Rabies literally makes you a zombie

[@vallll6658]

And aside from vaccination propaganda videos can you assist me in finding some real footage?

[@supremeburgersims]

@@vallll6658 vaccines work lol, you think polio just disappeared?

[@elhammo7478]

@@vallll6658 Do you realize how deadly rabies is? It's almost 100% fatal - without medical intervention it is 100% fatal. That makes it the most deadly disease in existence. If you're bitten, you take what is basically a more intensive version of the vaccine. Since the virus has a long incubation period, you can actually receive a vaccine *after* infection. If you don't act in time and you wait for symptoms to appear, you're fucked. They put you into a medically-induced coma to slow the virus' scrambling of your brain, and pump you full of antivirals. Your odds of this working are very low. If you wake up, your brain is completely wrecked. If you get bitten by a rabid animal, you can choose A) hardcore vaccination or B) almost certain death.

[@djkoenig4716]

Rabies kills 100% of it victims once symptoms begin. It is too bad (& odd) that the treatment they gave her hoping to save her life hasn't so far worked to cure others, but perhaps they were already too sick before seeking treatment since most victims with symptoms are suffering poverty in very remote, rural areas far from a hospital.

[@naidzs4319]

@@vallll6658 hahah you must be from Florida.

[@melissag1364]

I thought the disease would have permanently affected her mental state, but she seems to have a full (if not mostly full) recovery. You’re a sole survivor, Jeanna! I hope you write that Dr sometimes. He’s a miracle worker.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

God is ultimately who saved her.

[@melissag1364]

@@EmilyGloeggler7984 Not really tangible proof of that but yeah maybe

[@thesmolkiwi6572]

​@@EmilyGloeggler7984....

[@phil8910]

@@EmilyGloeggler7984no ❤

[@maybelikealittlebit]

@@EmilyGloeggler7984god kinda sucks picking and choosing who he saves then. Why her and not the kids who die from rabies? Or parents who create orphans due to not being saved… it sounds nice but it’s just sad if so. He seems to favour white women in the west.

[@RedSharkMan]

Always carried an interest in her story - nice to see she has gotten to delve into the realm of parenthood!

[@jackcarter9861]

Shows she's made a full recovery to be able to have children

[@anonymousandcool]

This makes me so incredibly happy. After watching the documentary about Jeanna's story it's so phenomenal to see just how much sharper and back to normal she's gotten after everything and her family is soooo strong. Congratulations on motherhood!!!

[@dougg1075]

Wow! I just watched her story and came here to see how she’s doing. She looks great! Way to go doc

[@aandre311]

Wow she made so much progress she made history. God bless her well he already did.

[@leeholmes9962]

No the Dr did a great job she was bitten by a bat at "God's " so called house thanks for the quick thinking of the DR this lovely woman is still alive nothing to do with imaginary friends 👍

[@wongtimefunguy]

My daughter and and I had a bat situation and children's hospital handled that amazing...I was 32 and she was 6 and it was comforting going though the vaccine together.

[@infinteuniverse]

Oh my goodness. I just watched the documentary of her ordeal with rabies and I must say, she's made so much more progress in her recovery.

[@saylorantle3886]

Holy cow! Seeing her change and catch up with people her age is astounding. I just finished rewatching a documentary with her in it. Her speech has changed significantly. So glad for her!

[@yespls4184]

Wow, she has recovered beautifully! She has pretty much recovered her speech and mobility. An amazing tale of resilience

[@najmin3323]

After watching so many of rabis patient's video on KZbin I searched for "rabis survival". I was thinking there would be no result but I'm so happy to see this. God bless you. ❤❤❤

[@RobVanDaminator]

So happy for this amazing young woman.

[@Free_Krazy]

I was just reminded of her story after seeing a video on rabies, last time i saw her on film she was still learning to talk again, its amazing seeing how far she has come! And twins! epic.

[@CostaApostolou]

She progressed so far.

[@13Royczz13]

What an amazing woman, Remarkable, inspiring, courageous. May God continue to bless you in this life and the next.

[@morbidghoul9654]

I remember seeing her documentary as a young kid when it was prevalent on TV. I'm really glad to see where she is now. I'm also thankful for the help to become medically educated on alot of survivalist situational medical knowledge . Extensive research never hurts the brain...

[@MadderMel]

Wow ! I saw the original tv documentary about Jeanna surviving rabies . It's so beautiful to see this ! I wish her and her family all the best ! ... M.Gingell . Bristol , England .

[@kteb20011]

congrats Jeanna!!

[@johnalanelson]

She was not the first to survive the symptomatic phase of rabies. She was the seventh! She was the first to survive without getting massive doses of the vaccine (which usually doesn't work at that phase anyway).

[@maddiemoiselle9998]

She was the first to survive without the vaccine.

[@johnalanelson]

@@maddiemoiselle9998 That's what I said, but that isn't what they said!

[@johnalanelson]

@@maddiemoiselle9998 look at the false title

[@paulolucido501]

Thank you for letting us know this information :)

[@eviken1982]

@@johnalanelson Yes without the vaccine.

[@lorianderson-musgrave3609]

I heard your story on Mr. Ballen’s Medical Mysteries podcast. You are your mom’s mini me. Thanks to your doctor and family’s bravery, more people can be saved.

[@Microbex]

Arh man, I am so happy she is well. Just had to know after seeing her in the rabies documentary.

[@teamrocketleadergiovanni4449]

She got infected again

[@chapter404th]

No she didn’t

[@teamrocketleadergiovanni4449]

@@chapter404th sure

[@chapter404th]

Jennifer Haynie huh

[@edmundjustin7360]

I just finished reading Rabid : A Cultural History of the Worlds Most Diabolical Virus 🦠 a fantastic deep delve into the rabies virus and its cultural impact throughout history. The last chapter talks about this particular case which brought me here. Glad to see she’s almost 💯 Such a crazy disease! 🧟‍♂️

[@moongloomable]

Such a good book. I

[@johnscott1948]

by the time I was in high school 1972, 5 persons had already survived rabies, all 5 had suffered some brain damage, but their cognitive abilities eventually returned mostly normal.

[@johnscott1948]

All 6 of them are amazing miracles.

[@UNKNOW7V]

That's a lie she's the first documented person to survive rabies

[@GreenKidGreenKid]

Can you provide a source on that information

[@atlassadsad7422]

Yea it's true I was the rabies

[@eviken1982]

@@johnscott1948 Why i don't believe you.

[@Gdub33]

She's come back so strong. What a fighter and amazing woman!

[@EnderSpy358]

What a sweet woman, I’m glad she’s okay and living well. Considering rabies has a 99.9999% kill rate, her being alive is nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully this awful virus is eradicated someday, even if it takes another century.

[@leeholmes9962]

I've watched her first video and it make me feel even more happier knowing she is doing so well, well done sweetheart heart 💪💛✌🇬🇧👍

[@Pms8484]

Beautiful human being. Mother kindness to their child is amazing. God can’t love that much.

[@mohammadabdallah6488]

Could her blood type be the reason why she survived? It's truly a miracle but there needs to be more research and tests on that disease. I wish her all the best and I am glad she and her family can finally be at peace. If there is a 1% chance of survival, Then we should have faith and hope because it could happen. I pray for all the sick patients for recovery just like that mother. God bless us all

[@ocean3057]

Blessed one

[@gregory06]

if god actually exists, he probably could have prevented the disease in the first place...

[@invaderhate]

😍 My heart swells with pride and joy for her. I seen her documentary a few years ago. And I'll never forget her name.

[@247mmd]

❤May you live a long happy life with your twin babies, Jeanna.

[@bluescat581]

This mother is really strong for surviving to the end.

[@myspacebarbrokenevermindif9892]

This chick is literally creating a bloodline of rabies resistant humans.

[@volka2199]

I dont know if that's how it works all the time, immunity can be passed down but from what I know that isnt usually from the antibodies but because those with higher immunity simply were more likely to survive. Let's say a virus uses a certain receptor to enter a cell but one family has a mutation that results in less of these points of entry significantly reducing the ability for the virus to reproduce hopefully allowing enough time for antibodies to be produced before serious illness develops, this is one possible example. Then they survive an outbreak and pass it down to future generations. I might be wrong about the antibodies not contributing though, immunity due to antibodies can decrease over time in one person let alone a whole family line which is why I dont think it likely, I'll check it out though since I know some viruses themselves can be transmitted from mother to child so why not the antibodies.

[@elhammo7478]

That's not how it works lol.

[@AlexGarcia-bl9ji]

@@elhammo7478 we don't know since she's the first human to survive rabies on her own

[@ballsofplastic]

@@AlexGarcia-bl9ji The vaccine is rabies just weaker, it helps the body to identify the virus when it enters and send t-cells and other things to help

[@spicymchaggis6581]

@@elhammo7478 That's not how the vaccine or her treatment worked, but she could have a genetic advantage against rabies with her immune system that she passes down to her kids.

[@mitch19636]

Congrats Jeanna. :*

[@ankita19871]

I saw her documentary of surviving the rabies without vaccination. Good to know that she is back to normal.

[@robhill3378]

godbless you jeanna, you do stand with God truly. My mother abandoned myself and babysister at age of 6, sis being 4, but i know of a mothers love.

[@johnscott3363]

Actually she is the 6th person to have survived the full hydrophobic symptoms of rabies, I learned that in high school back in 1970, back then 5 persons were known to have survived rabies despite vaccination and all 5 persons suffered some degree of brain damage.

[@eviken1982]

Well your school told you lies. She is the only one who survived it.

[@eviken1982]

She is the first one to survive rabies without vaccination.

[@sorelvio79]

@@eviken1982 first in the US, not in the world.

[@eviken1982]

@@sorelvio79 No the first ever.

[@eviken1982]

@@sorelvio79 He said despite vaccination. Well this girl had no vaccination.

[@helpmyspaghettiiseatingme]

So weird seeing her be a mum, I always saw her as still a teenager from that documentary

[@daniangela9990]

Congratulations! I wish you all the best in life🥰

[@spicymchaggis6581]

Imagine how good her immune system must be. It's a very good thing for humanity that she had kids.

[@chelseagreer6264]

I remember the documentary. Shes a very lucky person

[@dianahowell4011]

Amazing!! Thank you!

[@atomicbomb1113]

Her immune system really did a good job

[@The_Variable1]

Crazy how they’re 7 now.

[@roseforyoubabe]

she was the first to undergo this procedure putting a person in a coma which limits brain activity since rabies effects the brain

[@johncase1353]

How her kids were drooling and growling says it all.

[@seigi007]

If she survive the rabbies does this means that she is immune to rabbies?

[@UserNamekamote]

How is this possible? She just escaped death

[@TileBitan]

It did affect her though, I can't point it out but I feel it from watching her face

[@up67bloge]

Sir four months ago I was bitten by a dog, 20 days after that I was bitten by another dog, at that time I completed 5 vaccine courses so am I safe

[@hanysiak]

Wonderful!

[@TheSilliestFellaEver]

she really gave death the middle finger

[@playerchampiongaming7067]

i have been scratched when i was young and did no even get shots i was a lucky boy and now im scratched again

[@apsaraassam548]

This is not 1st person, many people can survive rabies in India and abroad...

[@Zarseen]

She had took a potion of fortune and a totem of undying from minecraft. She outlived rabies and went on to have twins.

[@mcdonnell-douglasdc-1087]

Ann and Jeanne, I love you! 🌹♥️

[@12Judah]

Yo! That’s my cousin 💜

[@x-75hurricane65]

So this was from 2016. Does anyone know if there's any updates about Jeanna and her whanau in 2021? Cheers from NZ...

[@ccdogpark]

Has anyone else in the US survived rabies since this happened in 2010 ?

[@devdecker7812]

literally luckier than the guy who survived 7 lightning strikes. although, that guy was also pretty unucky in a way

[@mufasas111]

This is a genetic miracle

[@shashanktiwary9890]

She just beat death!! Dude!

[@OGdirty1Kanobi]

Pretty incredible , I don't think the average person realizes rabies is one of the deadliest diseases there is

[@heeeydevon8262]

So is she immune to rabies now?

[@henloampepe]

Possibly*, there is a village in Peru where surprisingly about 10% of the population has built a resistance to rabies after they were exposed and survived and are considered "immune" to rabies, that said I'm not sure how long the immunity would last. Considering it's been about 19 years since she was exposed I really wouldn't be surprised if her immune system has forgotten how to produce the rabies antibodies.

[@captaintrips2980]

No. There are many different strains.

[@JohnRambo1947-July-6th]

I wonder if the medically induced coma had something to do with her recovery?

[@RealRoach-2x]

I wish I has those genes, lucky child.

[@lagatita1623]

I am so glad how her case turned out I still think she was somewhat of an anomaly or miracle as the milwalkee protocall has failed most others. People if you get bitten by anything get shots right away!

[@JillianNoelle]

That’s why the rabies shot is important after possible infection. I don’t care how much it hurts, I’m getting it if I even may need it. Dying from it is worse. Surviving this is impossible. This is the first person too. She probably have an immunity.

[@michaeldemetriou1399]

How amazing Brilliant

[@DriverGiana]

Those children may have supreme DNA🧬

[@Cascade_d]

It was because of *DETERMINATION*

[@reneelove9035]

Jasire Carter UNDERTALE 😍

[@forgor4410]

Get ur fucking undertale out of here

[@hydrodoxxed2]

she was in a chemically induced coma i doubt any determination can come to you when you are unconscious and in late stage of rabies, when your brain is being eaten away considerably quickly

[@omarvidal8847]

Heard her story on the radio today

[@carminegloomysundayhunter6889]

She wasn't the first to survive! Look up joseph meister who survived in the 1800s

[@asifjarar2732]

I believe mental effects of rabies can removed from body by practice means you should try to be legend clever and mature

[@mcdonnell-douglasdc-1087]

If you want the world's best friend to be your best friend, please ensure that you are born as Ann's son /daughter in your next birth.

[@christianszilagyi2146]

Miracle.☺

[@xkero]

amaizing

[@djx2343]

Anyone else think the Mum reminds them of Pam from the Office US?

[@alisalauzon9291]

So the first question that popped in my head was... did this make her babies immune threw her..?? Lol.. which is A stupid thought im sure. I'm so glad she made it! Wow!!!! It's like 95 percent fatal.. What a blessing she went on to live a fulfilling life.

[@CJM-rg5rt]

That's what I want to know!!

[@abyssracha]

I dont think so. Since she wasnt "immune" to rabies as she caught it (even though she survived). So there isn't a genetic mutation for rabies immunity that she can pass on. Just a thought.

[@CJM-rg5rt]

Dang Stayne

[@justinorwen1739]

More than 95% fatal. Once symptoms appear 100%, with 1 exception...her.

[@CJM-rg5rt]

@@justinorwen1739 idk about that, I think more than 4 people have survived being bit by rabid animals. The vaccines aren't that pointless are they?

[@kach7528]

My Mom survive in rabies when he was a child dog bite him and later the dog is reported die and when she high school students she feels the symptoms of rabies she said her voice sound of barking and scared of water but my mother tell me there's a man that help him that man cut his skin and put a mug and fire And sucking her blood outside and the blood is color Black and my mom survive

[@jayanimations494]

Your mom is aliar then 😂

[@defaultuser9423]

The interesting thing about this Milwaukee incident was that she was put into a comma under the protocol before she started showing any of the final symptoms. So we can never be sure if it is the protocol that saved her life or if it was a different milder strain of the virus to begin with.

[@thatoneguyc8312]

Imagine your chances of winning the lottery, it's not even comparable to your chances of surviving rabies.

[@cosmic1229]

She wasn't the first person to survive

[@Adelaide-audits.]

👏 wow 👏 😍

[@shardulsawant7859]

I always wanted to know how she would be today

[@user-xq4st9ie7r]

Is she really the first one?

[@darthmaul8637]

How? What is the science behind this someone please

[@bousocheat4031]

I JUST CAME OUT FROM HOSPITAL TODAY!!!! AFTER 2 MONTHS ON FIGHTING RABIES!!!!

[@jepika4736]

Are you cured

[@eviken1982]

Liar.

[@jacksonville667]

“Two months of fighting rabies” Lmao

[@Tntntnnrnr]

Very very lucky girl because rabies %99 killed

[@lausonin6295]

Welp, I know this sounds fucked, but I hope it won’t somehow become sleeper gene that will somehow pass into future generation. I hope it will instead turn into a resistance to rabies.

[@Li.Siyuan]

She's not the first - a young Indian boy was.

[@paulhickie6974]

❤❤❤.

[@reign6of6e6terror]

So muss es sein 😁👍👍👍

[@GGG-hh5jo]

how did this work??

[@_Andrew2002]

My hypothesis for people dying with the protocol is they have been malnourished as a child and their inmune system isn't strong enough to save them. However people who survive have a strong immune system.

[@human47134]

That is NOT how rabies works or how she even survived. Stop spreading your stupidity on the internet for the gullible to believe.

[@CJM-rg5rt]

@@_Andrew2002 shut up Andrew, my brothers cousin died from P.R.O.T.O.C.O.L type 2 and we had to sign a contract with a sunburned man to reincarnate him and he had the worst immune system :(

[@_Andrew2002]

@@human47134 Holy cow we have some fools here. Jeanna Giese was the first person to survive rabies without the vaccine, she was put into a medically induced coma and her body took over and killed the rabies. This is the milwaukee protocol. It was later used on a man in Bangkok, he died. Earlier this year it was used on a family of brazilian teenagers, two of them died but one of them lived. Also this year a 6 year old Florida kid died from rabies even with the treatment. The milwaukee protocol clearly seems to only work on the healthy subjects, ones who are young or subject to bad living standards such as Brazil in Bangkok just don't survive

[@justinorwen1739]

Rabies attacks the brain, they basically shut her brain almost completely down until she could fight off the disease.

[@adityak506]

❤️

[@rexellcrisostomo8031]

She like won a lottery in every country’s

[@0nan-Son-of-Juda-Brother-of-Er]

Are they immune to Rabies or will they become Superhuman or something. Maybe Vampiric ?