Influencer, 23, Was 'Fighting for Her Life' in ICU After Contracting 'Terrifying' Brain Infection During Nightmare Vacation
Australian fitness guru was hospitalized during a trip to Bali for a deadly brain illness.
Nov. 4 2026, Published 4:25 p.m. ET
An Australian influencer is clinging to life after contracting a deadly brain disease while on a vacation in Bali, RadarOnline.com can report.
Fitness creator and online coach Khiana Smith, 23, suddenly got severely sick while traveling in Bali after being in Europe for two weeks.
The Influencer Contracted Meningitis
The 23-year-old got meningitis from an unknown source.
She told news.com.au that she "never expected" to find herself in this "nightmare," as she's been bedridden for 8 days in the ICU.
The health-conscious guru shared she has both bacterial and viral meningitis, hospital-contracted pneumonia, and fluid in her lungs. Her medical team has stated they are not sure how she acquired the illness, whether it could've been another passenger on her flight, food, or swimming water.
Bacterial and viral meningitis causes extreme flu-like symptoms caused by inflammation of membranes in the brain and spinal cord. Viral is a milder case and rarely life-threatening, whereas the rare bacterial case is considered a severe medical emergency, and it can be fatal if left untreated.
Doctors Aren't Sure What Caused the Illness
A rapid CT scan and new fluids helped save her life.
Smith took to her Instagram account to share updates on her stories, saying "I don’t know what happened, like I seriously don’t, I just woke up one day and I just had the worst headache, like I couldn’t even get out of bed."
She said she knew something was off when she had been experiencing symptoms of terrible head pain, sensitivity to light, and slurred speech and vision.
She was rushed to a Bali International Hospital after a villa IV drip failed to alleviate symptoms. Within a few hours, she was given a CT scan and got connected to a new antibiotic drip, which her mother noted "probably saved her life."
Her mother, Cass Smith, got on the first flight possible to Indonesia after she got the news.
"There is nothing more terrifying than knowing your child is fighting for her life in a foreign country and you’re thousands of kilometers away, unable to hold her hand," she said.
The Hospital Was Speedy With Smith's Care
Smith spent 2 weeks in the hospital after traveling from Europe.
The Smith family has praised the hospital and its doctors for their efforts and swiftness. During moments of decline, they noted Khiana had been attended to within 10-15 minutes, exceeding the services they have experienced in Australian hospitals.
Despite the severity and toll on the young adult's body, they remain hopeful that the fast action of antibiotics will prevent permanent damage. Smith said the brain swelling has caused her memory loss, which is a side effect of the disease that the family hopes will only be temporary.
The influencer will be cutting her trip short as she waits to be cleared to fly back to the Gold Coast to recuperate. Doctors have her grounded in Bali for another week to avoid further brain swelling from the plane.
'Don't Take Your Life or Health for Granted'
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Smith has been released from the hospital, but remains in Bali.
"I feel absolutely helpless and I just wanna go home," she said, noting that even doing small things has become hard.
She had updated her Instagram stories more recently, sharing a picture from a more comfortable bed as she waits out the rest of the week.
Smith urged people to be appreciative of their own health and take it seriously. "It can be taken in any second even if you're the healthiest person you know," she shared in a story post. "Don’t take your life or health for granted ever."
Many fans flocked to her comments and DMs to share heartfelt messages of support and wished her a speedy recovery.
Smith's mother also encouraged others to get travel insurance, which is currently covering the cost of Khiana's hospital stay.
"Thankfully, I had convinced her to take it out before she left and she listened to me for once," she said. "I think it is so important for anyone who travels to understand the importance of having insurance."
