MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin child has died of a rare condition linked to COVID-19.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday the child is the first in the state to die of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome.
State health officials said the child died sometime within the last month.
What is MIS-C in children? TX mom shares son’s story of ‘scary’ battle with rare COVID complication The child was under 10 years old and was from southeastern Wisconsin. Health officials declined to provide any further identifying details.
Tom Haupt, a state respiratory disease epidemiologist, says the child was one of 183 Wisconsin children who have contracted the disease.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded 6,851 cases as of Jan. 31.
The syndrome appears two to six weeks after a child has been exposed to COVID-19.
Please note: The video at the top of this player is from a previous report
Garner, N.C. — The brother of a Garner man who died from a severe COVID-19 infection is using his obituary to share an important message.
Stephen A. Lawrence died in Tennessee on Oct. 24 at the age of 59. He lived most of his life in Garner but had recently relocated to Nashville, where he helped people find employment, something family members said he called his “dream job.”
At 5:45 on WRAL News
Joe Fisher talks to the family members of a Garner man who say he was skeptical of COVID-19 before he died from the virus.
In his obituary, Lawrence’s brother, David Lawrence, wrote that he died from a severe COVID-19 infection “after refusing to believe that Covid was real and refusing to get a vaccine” and “then refusing to go to the hospital when he could not breathe.”
Lawrence leaves behind his 92-year-old mother, his brother, a son and many others who loved him, according to the obituary. After the tragedy, David said the family is trying to illustrate how important the battle against COVID is, showing people how Stephen’s choice is affecting them today.
“Please make his passing mean something,” his brother wrote. “Please go and get a vaccine in his honor.”
David was candid about his brother’s death, feeling strongly that he’d still be alive had he gotten vaccinated. David told WRAL News he last talked to Stephen on Oct. 12, eventually finding out that was the day Stephen tested positive for COVID-19. Stephen didn’t want anyone to know about his diagnosis.
David said Stephen seemed upbeat when they spoke, talking at length about his job and how he had met all his quotas.
“I thought everything was going grand,” David said.
On Oct. 24, not even two weeks later, Stephen died alone.
“The saddest thing about it all is that he died alone with none of his family,” David said. “There’s no reason for him to be dead,” he said. “Because he had the power in his hand to be able to go get a vaccine.”
David said the family hopes to find solace in convincing others at-risk from COVID to get vaccinated.
“If Stephen’s death means anything and one person goes and gets vaccinated and saves their life, that is what I was hoping for,” David said.
Wilmington, N.C. — Tyler Gilreath had just moved into his new dorm room at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and was about to start his junior year of college.
Three days after moving in, his mother, Tamra Demello, said Gilreath called her saying he tested positive for coronavirus.
Demello said her son wasn’t vaccinated and wasn’t planning on getting the shot when he was diagnosed with the virus.
“He said, ‘Oh, Mom, if I get sick, for young people, it’s no big deal. You have it a couple days, and you get over it.’ That’s not necessarily true,” said Demello.
Gilreath went on to spend three weeks in an area hospital with a severe sinus infection from COVID-19, which then spread to his brain.
As the days went on, the swelling got worse.
“I’m so angry with him. I even told him when he was lying in the hospital, when he gets better, I’m going to kick his butt,” said Demello.
On Friday, Demello said the family was told there wasn’t anything doctors could do and that Gilreath was brain dead.
“He is still hooked up to life support,” Demello said Monday. “Tonight, we will be going down to Wilmington to harvest his organs.”
Demello said she hopes telling Gilreath’s story will prevent other families from going through the same thing.
“If they don’t do it for themselves, do it for their family and loved ones. If you do get sick with a vaccine, you won’t be sick very long,” she said.
Demello said she “cajoled, encouraged, threatened and nagged” for Gilreath to get vaccinated before the start of the school year.
“He was too busy and/or concerned about the possible long-term heart issues, but finally agreed to get it as soon as he moved at school. He didn’t get the chance. I am devastated beyond belief,” said Demello.
“I know he’s looking down now and saying, ‘I guess Mom did know what was best for me,” said Demello. “I know he is with God, but the hole in my life he leaves will never go away.”