A family from Alabama is grieving the loss of a 32-year-old pregnant mother who died of COVID-19 last week. Haley worked as a nurse in a labor and delivery unit. The 32-year-old lived with husband Jordan and the couple’s 3-year-old daughter Katie. She was pregnant with the family’s second child at the time of her death.
Haley was initially admitted to the USA Health Children’s and Women’s Hospital, before being moved to the ICU at USA Health’s main hospital campus just a few days later. After receiving the news that she would lose her baby, Haley’s condition continued to deteriorate in hospital. Four days prior to her death, she was placed on a ventilator.
Haley and Jordan’s unborn child, Ryleigh Beth, died on Aug 18. Haley passed away two days later on Friday, Aug 20.
“The doctor called us I guess around 1:30 Friday morning and said that things were looking very grim and asked me where we were and how long it would take us to get there,” Julie said.
Haley had opted not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because she was planning to have another child and was worried about the possibility of having any anaphylactic reactions.
“Haley had had anaphylaxis reactions in the past,” her mom said.
“So for that reason, she felt that it was not safe for her.
“And then, of course, with all the negative reporting that has gone on, what was she to believe about what the vaccine would do to reproduction?
“Stuff about that it would destroy a female’s eggs and that kind of thing, and she wanted to have her second baby. That made her afraid to get it.”
The hospital where Haley worked requires all of its staff members to be vaccinated by November. The 32-year-old was said to be waiting until after she gave birth to get the vaccine.
“We talked about it several times,” Julie explained. “She said at one point that she had about made up her mind to do it. And she just… she just couldn’t quite get it done.
“If she had had the information that has come out since this happened to her, yes, she would have gotten it.”
