Madonna graced the 2025 Met Gala, celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025, in New York City. The legendary artist took full advantage to unload her dramatic health story from this past June. She had once referred to it as a “life-threatening disease.” In her appearance at the gala, Madonna courageously opened up about her fight against sepsis. This debilitating illness landed her in the ER and ICU.
And in June 2023, just before going on her world tour, she contracted a serious bacterial infection that led to life-threatening septic shock. Following an extended stay in the ICU, she opened her eyes after being in a medically induced coma for four days. Though it was devastating at the time, this experience had a major influence on her views about life and health.
The Reality of Sepsis
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body goes into overdrive fighting an infection. Annually, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that approximately 1.7 million U.S. adults develop sepsis. Sadly, this medical mystery causes the untimely deaths of an estimated 350,000 patients in acute settings or transitioning into hospice care. Madonna’s experience demonstrates just how serious this condition can be, and the risks associated with neglecting it.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Madonna stated, “I got out of the hospital. They took me off the ventilator. I started to breathe on my own, and I had something, it’s called sepsis, and it can kill you.” Her grace and strength through this ordeal that nearly cost her life, both celebrates and exposes her power and fragility as a woman.
Faith and Recovery
During her recovery, Madonna turned to her faith—Kabbalah—providing strength during her process. It helped deepen her understanding of how this spiritual practice carried her through the challenging path to recovery, back to health. “The sooner you accept what’s happening to you and that you don’t know when it’s going to end, the sooner it’s going to end,” said Madonna’s Kabbalah teacher, a sentiment that resonated deeply with the singer.
Here’s what Madonna had to say during her eye-opening recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast. That was the case when this episode dropped on Monday. “I’ve always seen myself as superwoman. So, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to kick this. I’m going to be good. I’m getting back into rehearsals,’” she recalled. Although she thought at first she would bounce back in no time, Madonna just recently opened up about her unexpected illness completely “knocking [her] down.”
A New Perspective
Madonna’s ongoing journey has not only transformed her outlook on health but has taught her important lessons about her own strength. “One minute, I was alive and dancing around, and the next minute, I was in the intensive care unit of a hospital,” she reflected. This meaningful contrast further highlights the chaotic and ever-changing nature of health challenges and how they can disrupt a person’s everyday life.
As Madonna continues to share her story, she raises awareness about sepsis and its implications for countless individuals facing similar battles. Her story serves to continue to caution everyone—as invincible as one may think one is, one can still fall very deep. Whether it comes from faith or community, support is key to the recovery process.
