Barack Obama has faced many challenges during his time as the former President of the United States, but nothing could have prepared him for the emotional rollercoaster that came when he learned about his daughter Sasha’s serious health condition shortly after she was born.
Today, Barack and Michelle Obama are proud parents of two healthy, grown daughters, Malia (25) and Sasha (22). But when Sasha was diagnosed with meningitis at just three months old, their world was turned upside down.
“People often ask me about the hardest moment in my life—they mention things like the debt ceiling debate or other tough challenges,” Barack shared while campaigning in 2012. “But the hardest was when Sasha got meningitis as a baby. I vividly remember going to the hospital with her and watching as she underwent a spinal tap.”
In a heartfelt conversation with Rev. Al Sharpton, Michelle Obama also reflected on that difficult time, saying it’s a memory that will stay with her forever.
“I’ll never forget it,” Michelle said. “One moment, she was fine—happy, smiling, doing all the things I was used to. And then, out of nowhere, she was crying uncontrollably. It was so unlike her. I tried everything—feeding her, rocking her, burping her—but nothing worked.”
Realizing something was wrong, Michelle decided to call their pediatrician.
After describing Sasha’s symptoms, the doctor immediately told them to head to the emergency room.
“It turned out that she had meningitis, and they had to perform a spinal tap,” Michelle recalled, emphasizing how crucial it was to get help quickly.
“Thankfully, as you can see, Sasha is now a healthy, beautiful young woman. But if we hadn’t had health insurance, access to a good pediatrician, or a hospital where we didn’t have to worry about the cost, things could have been very different. If we had waited or delayed getting help, who knows what could have happened.”
