‘She’s a fighter’: Son shares his mother’s battle as West Nile virus leaves her unable to walk, talk

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - The family of an 84-year-old Louisiana woman is leaning on their faith as she recovers from West Nile virus, the first confirmed human case in the state this year.

Fay DuPont, 84, has spent the past two weeks in both a hospital and a rehabilitation center recovering from West Nile virus, which has taken a serious toll on her health. The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed Fay DuPont is the first human case of the virus in the state in 2025, according to WAFB.

Fay DuPont’s son, Joey DuPont, says it all began with what seemed like mild symptoms, which included a low-grade fever and dizziness. Doctors initially believed the 84-year-old had meningitis, but after further testing, they discovered it was West Nile.

“She’s not someone who likes to go to the hospital, so when she said she needed to go, I knew something was wrong,” Joey DuPont said.

The virus has left Fay DuPont largely unable to walk, talk or eat without assistance. Despite her condition, she’s been undergoing three hours of physical therapy every day.

“When we first got to rehab, she could only walk 12 steps. The second day, she walked 30, then 100. Today, I think she walked 200,” Joey DuPont said. “She’s getting stronger every day. Today was better than yesterday, and yesterday was better than the day before.”

According to Joey DuPont, his mom spends most of her time inside and rarely goes outdoors, which has left her family confused about how she was exposed.

“I feel tired,” said Fay DuPont, using what little strength she had to speak briefly.

Even with the diagnosis, the DuPont family remains optimistic. Joey DuPont says they’re leaning on their faith and focused on his mom’s recovery.

“We believe in God, that she’s going to walk out of this hospital and this rehab. That’s the future,” he said.

Fay DuPont already has her homecoming plan in mind.

“I want to make you a cake,” she told her son with a smile.

In 2024, Louisiana reported 57 confirmed human cases of West Nile and three deaths. Health experts say while the virus is more common in warmer months, it’s important to take precautions year-round. That includes wearing insect repellent, draining standing water and avoiding mosquito exposure during peak times.