Chula Vista Teen Who Lost Leg to Flesh-Eating Bacteria Speaks Out

Giancarlo Gil, 14, says he still has dreams of playing professional baseball

A Chula Vista teen who lost his right leg to a rare flesh-eating bacteria, says he still has dreams of playing professional baseball in the future.

Giancarlo Gil, 14, contracted a strain of Group A Strep last September.

The Chula Vista High School student and star athlete was admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital after complaining of pain in his calf. The bacteria ate through his tissues and destroyed his blood vessels and nerves.

Doctors amputated Giancarlo’s right leg up to his knee but days later, his leg was amputated up to his groin.

Seven months later, Giancarlo is continuing his physical therapy and has a prosthetic leg.

The teen was on the high school’s football team and a member of a traveling baseball team.

He says one of his biggest accomplishments was starting to walk again. Now, he has his sights set on playing sports again.

“I would still like to be a professional baseball player somehow, if I can get into that. But if not, I still want to be in baseball some sort of way. Whether it’s broadcasting, coaching, anything,” Giancarlo said.

The teen says he’s thankful for the support from his friends and the community throughout his recovery process.

His mom, Silvia Gil, says she is so impressed and proud of the progress her son has made in the past seven months.

“You’d be amazed at what your kids can teach you and show you,” she said.

Giancarlo says sometimes, he does think about why it happened to him but tries not to dwell on it.

“Like, I think about it for a little bit and just fast forward. Like, I know this happened for a reason,” he said.

Silvia says she wants Giancarlo to learn how to do everyday things like vacuuming and cleaning the house, so that he can be independent one day.

“It’s funny how we take things for granted until you’re presented with a situation like this, you start realizing that, wow, life is really good. And it still is,” she said.

Silvia says they are relying on their faith for what the future holds for Giancarlo.

But the family will support the teen in anything he is meant to pursue, whether it's to coach or be a mentor.

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