A High School Athlete With MIS-C Gets a Clean Bill of Health, Thanks to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital

In February 2021, Walter Oestreicher’s life took a drastic turn as the 16-year-old from Westchester County shifted his focus from high school academics and athletics to surviving MIS-C — a rare but serious condition associated with COVID-19.

Just one month after testing positive for the coronavirus, Walter was diagnosed with this potentially fatal condition. His symptoms, which included a 104° fever, excruciating abdominal pain and a rash, led to widespread inflammation of organs throughout his body. The high school student spent nearly two weeks at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

At the time, the medical community had very limited knowledge of MIS-C. Walter’s medical team at the Hospital worked around-the-clock to find a solution. Oestreicher is expected to make a full recovery. He is performing well academically, is scouting colleges and has returned to one of his favorite activities — playing on the high school hockey team.