Over $110,000 has been raised for the California mom who had to have all her limbs amputated after eating bad tilapia, as a harrowing image of her in her hospital bed has emerged.
Laura Barajas, 40, lost her arms and legs after eating the fish — contaminated with a flesh-eating bacteria — that she bought at a local market in July.
The glamorous mom-of-three could be seen with a maze of tubes and monitors attached to her body, in addition to a large breathing mask strapped to her face in a photo taken from her hospital bed.
Barajas lives with her 6-year-old son, partner Jose Valdez, and his other two children in San Jose, California.
She is originally from Mexico’s Guanajuato City, according to her Facebook page.
After cooking and eating the tilapia, Barajas became sick almost immediately and was rushed to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with the aggressive bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which can be found in undercooked seafood.
On Thursday, she underwent life-saving surgery after a months-long stay in the hospital.
“All four of [her] limbs had to be removed in order to save her life,” a GoFundMe page set up by her friend, Anna Messina, said.
“Find it in your hearts to support this beautiful family during this incredibly challenging time.
“What has happened to them could happen to any of us.”
The online fundraiser set up by Messina quickly gained traction in just a matter of days and surpassed $110,000 on Wednesday.
Messina said Valdez has been right by Barajas’ side “throughout this incredibly challenging time, providing unwavering support” but that the family “is in desperate need of our help (as they) adapt to her new circumstances”.
Valdez, who works for a local realtor, has “exhausted his paid time off… and the Family Disability program provides only 60% of his normal income,” according to Messina.
“The mounting hospital bills are overwhelming, and Laura’s physical condition will necessitate significant changes to their lives as they adapt to her new circumstances,” Messina added.
According to the CDC, a Vibrio vulnificus infection can require amputations and frequently leads to death within a day or two of becoming ill.
“The ways you can get infected with this bacteria are, one, you can eat something that’s contaminated with it [and] the other way is by having a cut or tattoo exposed to water in which this bug lives,” UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Natasha Spottiswoode told KRON.
She said it’s a particularly concerning infection for those with weak immune systems.
Roughly 150 to 200 cases of Vibro vulnificus are reported each year, according to the CDC.
A majority of those infected by the illness require intensive care or limb amputations, the CDC reports, and about 1 in 5 people die as a result, often within days of contracting the bacteria.
The Post has reached out to the Barajas family for comment.