Former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader Krystal Anderson and her husband Clayton Anderson were overjoyed when they learned that Krystal was pregnant last November. They saw it as a sign from their first child, James, who was stillborn in 2022. Clayton described it as a message from James, reassuring them not to worry.
On March 20, tragedy hit when Krystal Anderson passed away at 40 years old due to cardiac arrest caused by sepsis, following another stillbirth. Her husband, Clayton Anderson, is now sharing their heartbreaking story, grieving the loss of both his wife and child, and seeking answers to questions about maternal care.
“Krystal was everything to me… My closest companion, the love of my life, and the mother of our children,” Clayton Anderson expressed.
The Kansas City Chiefs cheer team shared a post on Instagram honoring Anderson’s memory, celebrating her “gentle nature, lively spirit, and her radiance.”
Clayton and Krystal found out Krystal was pregnant in November 2023.
Clayton Anderson
‘Now it’s about saving you’
He mentioned that they were careful about the recent pregnancy because Krystal had experienced a stillbirth before, in November 2022. In February 2023, she had a procedure to remove fibroids, which are muscular growths in the uterus wall, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Clayton Anderson explained that they took this step to reduce the risk of another loss. Krystal experienced a miscarriage scare in December, and he wishes more could have been done to support her pregnancy. He expressed frustration with the healthcare system because, despite Krystal’s age (40) and ethnicity (Black) and their previous loss, they couldn’t start planning with high-risk doctors until week 14 of the pregnancy.
In the 16th week of her pregnancy, Krystal Anderson had a cerclage procedure to help keep her cervix strong for the rest of the pregnancy. Clayton Anderson explained that after this procedure, doctors assured them they were taking the best steps to prevent any issues. At her next visit around week 20, they encountered some complications. By March, doctors were preparing to admit Krystal to a special hospital unit that deals with births that happen very early in the pregnancy, called periviable births, if she could make it to 22 weeks.
During the 20th week of Krystal’s pregnancy, she was advised to be on semi-bed rest for two weeks to try to reach the 22-week mark. Then, on Saturday, March 16, still in the 20th week, they hurried to the hospital because Krystal started feeling back pains. Her OB doctor had told her these could be from contractions and dehydration. After some tests, doctors found amniotic fluid, and by 9 pm that Saturday, they couldn’t detect a heartbeat in the baby.
Anderson agreed that Krystal would want her legacy to be spread with optimism and positivity.
Clayton Anderson
After grieving for several hours over the loss of their daughter, Charlotte Willow, Krystal Anderson started to have a fever and showed signs of severe sepsis.
Clayton Anderson said the doctors explained they gave Krystal an epidural and tried to let her give birth naturally, but it didn’t work.
“They told us, ‘We need to get Charlotte out of there,'” Clayton said. “‘Because your condition isn’t improving, and now it’s about saving you, mom.'”
Anderson said she underwent surgery early Sunday morning and came back on a ventilator and dialysis machine because her kidneys, liver, and lungs were failing. After two more surgeries and some signs of improvement, Anderson sent his and her parents home for the night on Tuesday.
But he called them back when her condition got worse again that evening. Krystal Anderson died early Wednesday morning, March 20, from complications related to sepsis.
The state of maternal health for Black women
Sepsis happens when the body’s response to an infection goes wrong.
Maternal sepsis is a severe infection that can harm organs and even lead to death during pregnancy, childbirth, or after giving birth. Sadly, it affects Black women like Krystal Anderson more than others. Studies show that Black and Hispanic communities face higher risks of severe illness and death from sepsis compared to white people.
Experiencing septic shock after childbirth is much more common after a stillbirth than after a live birth, according to a study by Stanford Medicine. The study found that women who had a stillbirth were 14 times more likely to develop septic shock or sepsis compared to women who had a live birth. Clayton Anderson, while grieving, is thinking about bigger questions concerning the healthcare system for mothers. He believes that all pregnancies, especially for women of color or older women, should be considered high risk from the beginning and treated accordingly.
Clayton Anderson also felt frustrated about the long gaps between Krystal’s check-up appointments, especially given the circumstances of her pregnancy. He mentioned that expecting someone who has experienced a loss to wait four weeks between appointments is the same protocol used for a healthy 23-year-old, which he believes isn’t suitable for everyone. He thinks there should be more personalized care instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.
AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, the hospital where Krystal was treated, couldn’t give detailed information about her care because of privacy laws like HIPAA. However, they did send a statement to ABC News.
They said, “We’re deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our goal is to give the best care to each patient, considering their unique needs. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Krystal’s legacy: ‘She would want her laughter to be spread’
Husband Clayton Anderson said Krystal was his “best friend.”
When Krystal passed away, she was working in healthcare technology with her husband and friend Shanna at Oracle. Shanna mentioned that Krystal was part of a team that got a patent for tech that helps find risks in postpartum hemorrhaging.
Adamic mentioned the irony of the situation. She’s also wondering why sepsis affects minority communities, especially Black women, so much.
Clayton Anderson wants Krystal’s legacy to include more Black women in STEM, better outcomes for Black pregnant women, and more awareness about stillbirth. He emphasized that even if they don’t have their babies, these women are still mothers. Adamic described her late friend as joyful.
Krystal Anderson was a part of the team that was awarded a patent for technology used to find risks in postpartum hemorrhaging.
Shanna Adamic
“Krissy was all about joy,” Adamic said. “That’s how she’d want to be remembered.” Anderson agreed, saying Krystal would want her legacy to inspire optimism and positivity.
“Krissy wanted everything to be bright and cheerful, and she wanted her laughter to bring happiness,” he said. “This situation is awful and heartbreaking. She might not have wanted to lead these causes, but if she did, she’d do it with joy.”
