Oriana Peppers († 21) dream was to become a pilot. The Brit therefore completed training as a commercial pilot with the airline Easyjet. In May 2021, she traveled to Belgium with her boyfriend James Hall, who was also training to be a pilot, to obtain a license to fly.
Shortly following arriving in the Belgian city of Antwerp, Oriana was bitten in the forehead by a mosquito «BBC» reported. The supposedly normal mosquito bite above her right eyebrow soon began to swell. The Briton therefore went to the hospital on July 7th. They gave her antibiotics and sent her home.
Two days later, the young woman collapsed. Her friend James Hall took her to the hospital once more. Three days later, on July 12, Oriana Pepper passed away. Now a medical examination showed that she had succumbed to the consequences of the mosquito bite.
Doctors are amazed
Chief Medical Examiner Nigel Parsley said Oriana “died as a result of a serious infection caused by an insect bite on her forehead.” An autopsy revealed that the British woman died of what is known as a septic embolism. This was triggered when the infection from the mosquito bite spread to the brain.
Coroner Parsley told Oriana Pepper’s parents: “I’ve never seen a case like this. It’s just such an unfortunate tragedy for a young woman who had a wonderful career and life ahead of her.”
Oriana’s father, Tristan, said his daughter “loved nothing more than to fly with her father and her brother Oliver, who is also training to be a commercial pilot.” For her, flying was like an office in heaven. “She met someone she loved, she trained as a commercial pilot and fulfilled her dreams.”
Couple bitten multiple times
Oriana’s friend James told the «Sun», following arriving in Antwerp on May 20, they were “bitten several times” without any reaction. “We were assured by locals that this was normal for the area and time of year.”
Oriana’s mother, Louisa Pepper, set up a small stipend following her daughter’s death. In doing so, she wants to encourage other pilots to choose the same profession. “It’s a positive thing in her life,” she said. (obf)