Eric Schoenfeld – Legionnaires’ Disease Survivor Story

Eric Schoenfeld tells how he handled the life changes caused by Legionnaires’ disease.

Eric Schoenfeld had no idea that a short business trip to Chicago in 2012 would change his life immediately and drastically.

Eric was one of several people infected with Legionella simply by being near a decorative fountain in the lobby of the hotel where he stayed.

According to the CDC’s report of the investigation, published by the National Institutes of Health, 11 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were confirmed and another 29 cases were suspected. 9 of the 11 people with confirmed cases were hospitalized and 3 died.

Based on epidemiologic data, Legionella found in the hotel water systems, and the Legionella strain found in the sole isolate from one of the persons with confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, the CDC concluded that the decorative fountain was the likely source of the Legionella outbreak.

Eric’s story is one of extraordinary courage, not only in fighting to come back physically and mentally for himself and his family, but in starting a Legionnaires’ disease support group to help other Legionnaires’ survivors.