The normally healthy teenager died of COVID-19 the day after Christmas.
“I took her to be tested that Saturday morning and on Saturday night she was positive, but continued to add new symptoms,” said her mother, Deborah Simental.
Her mother said she goes over last week’s tragic timeline.
“There was vomiting and she was getting chills and body aches,” said Simental.
Two days before Christmas, the 18-year-old was admitted to Silver Cross Hospital. Her symptoms quickly worsened.
He was later flown to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where doctors tried to save Sarah’s life.
“I know she fought because one of the last times I was able to talk to her on the phone, they were taking her from the normal room to the ICU and she said ‘I’m going to be fine, mom’, and that was the last thing,” said Simental.
She did not survive.
“She had a cardiac arrest, had a brain bleed, was deteriorating her kidneys, it consumed her,” said Simental. “No parent should have to watch their son go through this. No one.”
RELATED: Couple Dies of COVID Days Before Christmas, After Short Visit to Family
Sarah had not left home much, so her mother is not sure how she contracted the virus.
The teenager was spending more time at home during the pandemic with her family and her dog Bailey.
Your family shares an important message.
“Please take this coronavirus seriously,” said his father, Don Simental.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday at Lawn Funeral Home in Orland Park. Instead of flowers, her family is asking for donations to PAWS from Tinley Park, where Sara spent a lot of time.
Copyright © 2020 WLS-TV. All rights reserved.