A 20-year-old Idaho woman has passed away due to complications from COVID-19, as the state’s average age of virus victims has dropped.
Cleo Shepherd died on Sept. 20, with her last words to her mother, Summer Carr, being, “Mama, I don’t want to die,” KTVB reports. Carr told the outlet that she was scared when her daughter was intubated by doctors: “I promised her she was going to be fine. And that was the last conversation I ever had with her.”
“She was just the kindest soul, and she loved children so much. She walked into a room and it lit up,” Carr said. “And although it hurts us, we know Jesus is holding her in his arms right now. And I just want to thank everybody for their continued prayers.”
Carr told KTVB that her daughter was “full of life.” She described as she watched Shepherd’s health decline after she found out she was positive for the virus, which led to pneumonia and kidney failure. It’s was unclear whether or not Shepherd had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
As the fourth wave of the pandemic hits the U.S. and the Delta variant and other strains abound, the virus has started impacting young people more and more. According to Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare, the state has seen a 6.7-year dip in its median age of COVID victims. That trend is playing out in other states as well, like Florida, Texas, and California.
Cleo Shepherd’s family has set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help pay for funeral costs.
