KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The daughter of a metro woman who died after her coronavirus diagnosis is speaking out.
Seventy-five year old Bertha Mae Reddic died Monday at Research Medical Center after testing positive for COVID-19.
Reddic’s daughter, Sonya Trigg wants people to learn from her death and that coronavirus is serious and a life threatening disease.
“I just want people to realize how serious it is,” Trigg said. “Please do not gather. If you are at home, stay at home. We don’t know how this is being passed. If you think it’s not serious, think you’re too young and it cannot affect you, it can. No one is invincible with this.”
Trigg said her mother’s journey began March 19 with a cough. The family initially thought it was her bronchitis flaring up.
She took her medication, but the cough continued. Days later, she would develop a high fever. When symptoms seemingly worsened, when Reddic was weak and could barely stand, her husband called 911.
She was rushed to the hospital on March 22, also the last time her husband would see her.
“That was the hardest part, not holding her hand when we knew she can probably hear us, and get her that positive reinforcement that, ‘Mom, it’s going to be OK.’ All we could do was call the front desk, the nursing station and they would give us updates,” Trigg said.
Trigg said this was only the beginning of what was to come. After being admitted into the hospital, her mother tested positive for COVID-19. She also was diagnosed with pneumonia.
The next day she was put on a ventilator. After being stable for for three days, her kidneys stopped working and she was put on dialysis.
Eleven days after first falling ill, Reddic would die Monday, March 30.
“They have to cover the iPad with plastic, so the image you are getting is very grainy but we did all three of us kids did get to say our goodbyes, but the saddest part is my step-dad, her husband, couldn’t get the app to work, so he never got to see her for the last time,” Trigg said.
“She had to die alone. Everybody is dying alone. They have to go inside the hospitals and be alone.”
Trigg says her mother did suffer from pre-existing medical conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
She will be remembered for her smile, positivity and faith in God.
“My mom was a wonderful person, she loved to have family, loved family, loved to get together have a great time, a devout christian, she loved going to church,” Trigg said. “She was so happy. You never really saw her unhappy. You never saw her sad. She always had a smile on her face.”
Family members are now under self quarantine.
As they grieve, the family is hoping this story will help people understand the severity of the coronavirus and the symptoms and possible quick decline that come with the disease.
