Fitness Influencer Paralyzed After Tick Bite and Rare Illness

A well-known fitness personality has become paralyzed following a tick bite that triggered a rare illness, leaving her unable to move her legs and causing significant pain.

Maria Palen, 31, is now on a journey to regain her mobility, explaining that she has made some progress in recent weeks, such as improving her step stability and side-stepping, though she still cannot bend her knees.

A popular fitness influencer was left paralyzed after a tick bite left her “trapped in unbearable pain.”

Her ordeal began in September 2024, starting with minor aches that she initially overlooked. Soon after, her body started to fail, and by March 2024, she was bedridden.

Despite living a healthy lifestyle, she couldn’t understand why her body was deteriorating. Initially suspected to have an autoimmune disease, medical tests later revealed the presence of Babesia, a microscopic organism contracted from a tick that attacks red blood cells.

“It completely shattered my immune system,” Palen shared, explaining that even simple tasks like turning her phone or car wheel became excruciating. Doctors discovered her spinal fluid was filled with white blood cells, indicating an attack on her spinal cord, though the exact cause remains undetermined.

Maria Palen, 31, said she is learning to walk again after the rare condition left her unable to move her legs.

Her condition affects fewer than 3,000 people annually in the U.S., according to the Cleveland Clinic. A GoFundMe fundraiser launched in January has raised over $12,000 to support her recovery, as Palen has lost her apartment, career, and savings.

According to the social media star, tiny organisms called Babesia had entered her bloodstream via a tick bite. Her red blood cells were targeted.

Living with her family in Texas now, Palen faces a long road ahead, with doctors estimating her chances of full or partial recovery to be roughly equal, while some may not recover at all.