Josh
Place of Residence: Richmond, Texas
Josh loves sports, spending time with his family, and all things Disney World. He never imagined that COVID would impact his life and because he thought his risk was low, he didn’t get vaccinated. Yet in January 2021, the 43-year-old ended up hospitalized in need of a double lung transplant. After being hospitalized for four months, Josh thankfully survived to tell his story and he now wants others to know the importance of vaccination.
Josh shares the story of how he was hospitalized with COVID and ended up having a double lung transplant to save his life.
Dwight & Brenda
Place of Residence: McLeansboro, Illinois
Married for 54 years, Dwight and Brenda loved spending time with their family, especially their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because they lived in a small town, they didn’t think COVID was a threat to them and decided not to get vaccinated. Sadly, they ended up hospitalized and lost their lives to COVID within one day of each other in August 2021.
Below in his own words, their son, Windell, shares the story of losing both of his parents to COVID-19.
Kristin
Place of Residence: Gainesville, Florida
In December 2020, Kristin was a healthy, 31-year-old nurse practitioner who cared for patients at her rural medical clinic. Although she worked in health care, she didn’t think she was at risk for severe COVID illness and was patiently awaiting her turn to get vaccinated. Her life changed drastically after spending 111 days in the hospital with COVID. Now Kristin has numerous ongoing medical issues but uses her expertise and experience to continue educating her patients about the importance of vaccination.
Kristin shares the story of how she almost lost her life to COVID.
Sarah
Place of Residence: Superior, Colorado
Sarah received a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant and her daughter tested positive for COVID antibodies at four months old. Sarah wants others to know the benefits of COVID vaccination for pregnant people.
Below, Sarah shares her personal experience as a postpartum mother.
Monica
Place of Residence: Rockville, Maryland
Monica describes her 41-year-old daughter, Maria, as a bright light who makes this world a better place. She never imagined that COVID-19 would cause her daughter to be hospitalized for 130 days and almost lose her life. Now she wants to help inform others about the importance of vaccination, especially minority populations who may struggle with vaccine access and education.
Maria’s mother, Monica, shares the story of how her daughter almost lost her life to COVID.
Maria
Place of Residence: North Bethesda, Maryland
At age 41, Maria was living her best life and enjoying an active lifestyle filled with work, friends, travel, and leisure activities. Her world abruptly changed when she was hospitalized with COVID for 130 days – 69 of which were spent on ECMO life support. Maria’s family was told many times that they should be prepared to lose her.
Now Maria has some lingering medical issues to deal with, but as a survivor she shares her story to help educate others about the potential dangers of COVID-19 and the importance of vaccination.
Maria shares the story of how she almost lost her life to COVID.
Brent
Place of Residence: Louisville, Kentucky
Brent’s father, Jeb, describes his son as a real “go getter” who loved the culinary arts and music. As a healthy 29-year-old, Brent was not considered to be high-risk for flu – yet he lost his life just a week after getting sick.
As a pediatrician, Jeb knows the importance of annual flu vaccination and the power of prevention. Now his mission is to raise awareness to help prevent other families from having a similar experience.
Brent’s father, Jeb, shares the story of how his 29-year-old son lost his life to flu on November 3, 2019.
Mindy
Place of Residence: Lake Worth, Florida
As a healthy football mom of two with a busy career and home life, Mindy never imagined that flu would sideline her from the things she loved. Yet in October 2019, at age 47, Mindy found herself hospitalized and fighting to stay alive after being diagnosed with flu and pneumonia. She spent 28 days on life support and underwent intensive rehabilitation, but thankfully survived. Now she wants others to know that even healthy adults can fall victim to flu and associated complications.
Mindy shares the story of how she narrowly survived a life-threatening flu illness.
Liza
Even with all our modern medicine, I watched my sister die from flu.
In December, 2009 my sister Liza died of influenza. She was previously healthy and only 49 years old. She sought medical care early. She was cared for at a good hospital in a major city. She had no other infections. And she was unvaccinated.
To say I was surprised is an understatement. And yet, I’m a pediatric intensive care physician.