Pregnant nurse passes with unborn child due to COVID-19
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) — A pregnant nurse at Ascension Sacred Heartin Pensacola, Fla., along with her unborn child, passed away due to COVID-19.
Hayley Richardson, 32, died within three weeks of catching the virus.
Richardson's family and friends, as well as her co-workers at Ascension Sacred Heart, are devastated by the loss.
Richardson's friends told WEART-TV that she was not vaccinated — only because she did not know the effect the vaccine could have on her newborn.
Richardson leaves behind her husband and their daughter.
One of Richardson's friends said Monday that she came down with the virus just weeks ago. She said Richardson's symptoms started out like a sinus infection before she quickly began losing oxygen.
Richardson was then admitted to a hospital in Mobile, Ala. until Friday when she lost her battle to COVID-19.
Richardson's friends said that she had no underlying health conditions prior to getting COVID.
Richardson's family and friends are now pleading with the community to take the virus seriously. They're also calling for pregnant women to get the vaccine.
Ascension Sacred Heart issued this statement on Monday:
Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola and its labor-and-delivery team lost a special person and valuable team member when COVID-19 claimed the life of one of our nurses, Haley Richardson. She passed away Friday at a Mobile hospital.
This was a terrible tragedy for all who knew her. Haley brought a smile and laugh to everyone she met. Haley worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola for the past 4 years. She truly was the type of person who only saw the good in everyone and every situation. She was incredibly lighthearted and her personality will be missed here every day.
Please pray for her husband, daughter, family, and co-workers during these trying times.
Last week, local doctors encouraged pregnant women to get the full vaccine.
Those wishing to help the family can donate via GoFundMe here.