Photo: GoFundMe
A father of 12 from Texas died ofCOVID-19complications after a month-long health battle.
When Reed Hickson, 49, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in August, many of his other family members had experienced only “mild” symptoms of the virus, his wife of 29 years, Gina Hickson, toldKBTX.
While his relatives recovered, Hickson’s symptoms continued to worsen over the next three weeks, and he was eventually admitted into a local ICU. From there, his health remained stable until things took a turn in the days that followed.
“Still need a bed with ECMO capabilities. Just need one yes!” Gina wrote onFacebookon Sept. 19, noting she’d had to “face the harsh reality” that this was her husband’s “only chance to stay alive.““If you have connections please use them we are running out of time and options. Can be farther away,” she added.
On Sept. 20, one day after Gina’s message, her husband died. It is unclear whether he was vaccinated against the virus.
“When you see it up close, a patient you’re caring for but even more so a family member, a friend, it changes your life,” Hickson’s friend, Dr. Andy Wilson, toldKBTX.
“The hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life was to come home and tell my babies that their daddy wasn’t coming home,” Gina added.
He leaves behind his wife and their 12 children — Cayla, Mason, Leiah, Connor, Reece, Lily, Morgan, Lance, Chase, Hensley, Casen, and Ryker. AGoFundMecampaign has been set up to help the family pay hospital bills.
“The Hickson family and our entire community… lost a kind, loving, strong, and dedicated husband, father, brother, son, community leader, and dear friend to so many on 9/20/2021 after an extended fight against COVID 19,” a campaign organizer wrote on the donation page, which has raised nearly $60,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
“We are all so incredibly heartbroken, and the void this family is experiencing is beyond description,” the post continued.
On social media, people that knew Hickson remembered him for his “big smile” and warm spirit.”
“My little brother Reed was called home last night, leaving behind a legacy of true love and greatness, his family of 12 beautiful children and his magnificent soul mate,” Hickson’s brother,Samuel Hickson, said on Facebook.
As of Thursday morning, 55 percent of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 64 percent have has at least one dose, according to theNew York Times.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
