The CDC says 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within one to two days of becoming ill. Brent Norman has spent his whole life near the ocean. "I've grown up on beaches all my life and stepped on probably over ten thousand shells," he said.At the end of April, he walked his usual route on Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms."Health-wise, I try to hit 15 to 20 thousand steps every day," he said. "The way the tides were pretty high, I unfortunately stepped on several seashells."The next morning, he woke up in pain."Fast forward Wednesday, swelling on my right foot had grown even more.

And then at that point, I was no longer walking," he said.He went to the emergency room."Everyone behind the check-in counter, their eyes were about double the size they normally were. It was ... I can tell people were uncomfortable sitting around me looking at it."That's when Norman's doctor told him his foot was infected with vibrio, most likely from stepping on a seashell. The CDC says there are 12 species of vibrio and one is known to be a flesh-eating bacteria."She lanced it, removed the debris from there.

And then gave me an antibiotic shot and then also pills that I'm taking for two weeks," he said.According to DHEC, vibrio are a kind of bacteria that naturally live in warm ocean water.The agency says there are typically higher concentrations of the bacteria in the ocean from May to October.According to the CDC, 150 to 200 infections like Norman's are reported each year.The CDC says 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within one to two days of becoming ill.Norman is on antibiotics and still recovering. He's already itching to get back to the sand."My reward is living at the beach and I intend to continue to do that. Go as soon as my foot is healed.

I will be back on the beach," he said.Doctors say Norman is expected to make a full recovery.TRENDING STORIESGeorgia woman falls more than 130 feet to her death during Ohio State University graduation1 person dead following early morning shooting in SavannahSheriff's office investigating after retired Liberty County K-9 surrendered to animal shelter CHARLESTON, S.C. — Brent Norman has spent his whole life near the ocean. "I've grown up on beaches all my life and stepped on probably over ten thousand shells," he said. At the end of April, he walked his usual route on Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms. "Health-wise, I try to hit 15 to 20 thousand steps every day," he said.

"The way the tides were pretty high, I unfortunately stepped on several seashells." The next morning, he woke up in pain. "Fast forward Wednesday, swelling on my right foot had grown even more. And then at that point, I was no longer walking," he said. He went to the emergency room. "Everyone behind the check-in counter, their eyes were about double the size they normally were. It was ... I can tell people were uncomfortable sitting around me looking at it." That's when Norman's doctor told him his foot was infected with vibrio, most likely from stepping on a seashell. The CDC says there are 12 species of vibrio and one is known to be a flesh-eating bacteria. "She lanced it, removed the debris from there.

And then gave me an antibiotic shot and then also pills that I'm taking for two weeks," he said. According to DHEC, vibrio are a kind of bacteria that naturally live in warm ocean water. The agency says there are typically higher concentrations of the bacteria in the ocean from May to October. According to the CDC, 150 to 200 infections like Norman's are reported each year. The CDC says 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within one to two days of becoming ill. Norman is on antibiotics and still recovering. He's already itching to get back to the sand. "My reward is living at the beach and I intend to continue to do that. Go as soon as my foot is healed. I will be back on the beach," he said.

Doctors say Norman is expected to make a full recovery. TRENDING STORIES