Arkansas COVID-19 Deaths: How Families Cope With the Unprecedented Loss of Their Family Members

Arkansas joins the roster of states with the highest case numbers including Louisiana, Florida, Nevada, and Missouri. (Photo: The Arkansas Democrat Gazette)

After her husband combated COVID-19, mother of four Emily Bennett had to bury Chad, her husband. She is grieving with her four kids: Mackenzie, 7, Easton, 6, Savannah, 4, and Paisley Bennett, 1. Meanwhile, Jamie Patrick is appealing to everyone to be administered inoculation following the devastating loss of two children to the novel coronavirus.

Bennett remarked, “Seeing my kids struggle missing their dad and having to figure out our life is hard. I’m now a single mom of four so we’re taking it one day at a time. We’ve had good moments. We’ve had bad. It’s been hard,” reported THV 11.

Patrick’s daughter Brandi, 39, died from the coronavirus in July. Her son Dustin, 38, was hospitalized at the intensive care unit at Sunrise Hospital. For Patrick’s son, his lungs collapsed previously this week. According to the doctors, there was nothing more they could exert.

On Monday, the partial report courtesy of the ADH reported 13 new COVID-19 fatalities and less than 1,000 new positive cases. Notwithstanding the CDC pausing reporting until Tuesday, the COVID-19 report comprised new fatalities, positive cases, and hospitalizations in Arkansas in the course of 24 hours. It also recorded 937 more positive tests.

Read Also: COVID-19 in Arkansas: State Notes 2,360 New Coronavirus Cases, 16 Deaths

According to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients, states with the highest case numbers, including Arkansas,  Louisiana, Florida, Nevada, and Missouri due to the greater rates of newly immunized residents than the national average. It was confirmed that Florida had recorded the greatest number of COVID-19 cases. One in 5 infections came from that mere state.

Meanwhile, a family from West Memphis is bereaved following COVID-19 complications that took the life of Jordyn Franklin, 11, on Monday. When the 11-year-old woke up on July 30 with typical cold symptoms, according to her mother Caylenn Franklin, she did not speculate that her daughter contracted the virus.

The Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Department in Jefferson County is also grieving the loss of one of their firefighters to the respiratory illness. According to Pine Bluff Fire Chief Shauwn Howell, Cory Collins worked at Station 6 and was a pleasant co-worker, reported ABC 7.

In Greenwood, Michael Lejong had good intentions in getting vaccinated for COVID-19, according to his wife. He was an eminent architect.

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